When the man was hit by a speeding taxi, he was helped by the driver and conductor of a Byculla-bound bus; they halted the bus and the conductor took the victim to the hospital
Bus commuters travelling in the morning rush hour are often crabby and impatient, counting every extra minute spent in a traffic jam that could cause them to be late for work.
43-year-old Ganapati Kamble was on his way to work at a garment shop when a speeding taxi knocked him to the ground. The driver and conductor of a BEST bus at the scene immediately came to his rescue
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But it was a completely different picture on Thursday morning, when even half an hour’s delay didn’t faze the passengers of BEST bus route number 69. Instead of complaining, they praised the bus driver and conductor for their presence of mind and kindness, with the help of which an accident victim was saved.
Like thousands others in the city, 43-year-old Ganapati Kamble, a Kurla resident, was near the Nagpada signal on his way to work, when a speeding taxi knocked him to the ground. The impact threw Ganapati a few feet away, and ended up fracturing his right hand and injuring the side of his face. Luckily, Byculla-bound bus no 69 was trundling along at that very spot, and the driver immediately pulled over to help him.
Not only did the driver help Ganapati to his feet, but the conductor then ferried him to JJ Hospital and even waited until his family arrived and he was admitted. In the meanwhile, the driver waited at the spot with the bus and its passengers, until another conductor turned up to help with the rest of the route.
“My right hand and the right side of my face were badly hurt. I saw the conductor getting down from the bus and asking me about my family. The driver and conductor immediately stopped a taxi and said they were taking me to the hospital,” recalled a grateful Ganapati, adding, “He was with me till late afternoon and completed the admission procedure.
Even after my family came, he accompanied me up to the ward and only then did he leave.” While Ganapati and his family are thankful for the timely assistance, the Good Samaritans have mysteriously disappeared. BEST spokesperson Hanumant Gophane told mid-day that it would take a while to track the duo down, but that their actions were praiseworthy.
“It will be a little difficult to find out who was on duty and carried out this generous task, but I’ll try to get the details from the concerned bus depot. Since our bus wasn’t involved in the accident, the incident was not reported. But the efforts of the driver and conductor are worth appreciating,” he said.
Medical expenses
The Kamble family is finding it difficult to manage the expenses of the treatment. Ganapati, who is the sole earning member in a family of six (his wife and four sons), won’t be able to get back to work for a while either, since his right hand is badly fractured and had to be operated upon. “We have paid around R8,000 till now for the surgery and medication. I won’t be able to join work for a long time; it will be a task to manage the expenses,” said Ganapati.
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