58 bus drivers of BEST and contractor firms dismissed due to road accidents from 2022 to 2024: Eknath Shinde

A total of 58 bus drivers employed by the civicrun Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport BEST and its contractor companies were dismissed between 2022 and 2024 due to road accidents Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde informed the Legislative Council on Monday reported news agency PTIIn a written reply to a question raised in the House Shinde said disciplinary action had been taken against hundreds of drivers during the threeyear period as part of efforts to improve road safety and accountability within Mumbairsquos public transport system58 drivers dismissed due to accidents over three yearsProviding details of the action taken by the BEST undertaking Shinde said that 58 drivers were terminated from service after being found responsible for accidents between 2022 and 2024 reported PTIldquoIn three years from 2022 to 2024 58 bus drivers from BEST and service contractor companies were dismissed due to road accidentsrdquo the deputy chief minister said in his written response reported PTIHe added that disciplinary action has also been taken against several other drivers involved in accidents during the same periodHundreds of drivers suspended over accidentrelated incidentsAccording to the data shared in the Legislative Council a large number of drivers were also suspended as part of internal disciplinary measuresShinde said 603 drivers were suspended due to accidents while 574 drivers faced suspension in other cases during the same period In addition 63 drivers were dismissed for reasons unrelated to accident cases reported PTIThe action forms part of the transport undertakingrsquos broader efforts to maintain safety standards and enforce strict driving discipline among bus operatorsAdvanced training introduced to prevent accidentsThe deputy chief minister said the BEST administration has introduced several measures to reduce road accidents and improve driver performanceOne of the key initiatives includes extending the duration of advanced training programmes for drivers operating electric buses which are increasingly being inducted into the cityrsquos public transport fleetShinde also informed the House that 200 drivers have undergone practical training using a bus driving simulator system allowing them to improve their driving skills and response to challenging road conditions reported PTIMonitoring of driver behaviour on city roadsIn addition to training initiatives officials from the traffic and engineering departments are monitoring the driving patterns of bus drivers on city roadsShinde said that authorities regularly review driver behaviour and strict action is taken against drivers found driving recklessly or violating safety norms reported PTIThese monitoring efforts aim to strengthen accountability among drivers and reduce accidents involving public transport vehicles in MumbaiBEST continues expansion with electric busesThe BEST undertaking operates one of Indiarsquos largest public bus networks serving millions of commuters across Mumbai and neighbouring areasIn recent years the organisation has been rapidly transitioning towards an electric bus fleet as part of the cityrsquos push for cleaner and more sustainable public transportBEST has also increasingly adopted a ldquowet leaserdquo operational model where buses are provided by private contractors while operations are managed by the transport undertakingAs of late 2025 the BEST fleet comprised roughly 2700 to over 3100 buses running across the Mumbai Metropolitan RegionRecent accident highlights safety concernsThe issue of bus safety has remained in focus following several highprofile accidents in recent yearsIn one of the most recent incidents four people were killed and ten others injured on December 29 2025 after they were knocked down by a reversing BEST busThe government has since emphasised stricter monitoring enhanced driver training and disciplinary action to improve safety standards in Mumbairsquos public transport systemWith inputs from PTI