After Kurla and Bhandup bus mishaps, Mumbai's BEST faces tough questions on driver training

While the two accidents occurred a year apart in December, both involved electric buses from Olectra Greentech operating for BEST. 

In Monday’s accident, the bus that struck pedestrians was a nine-metre air-conditioned electric bus wet-leased from Hyderabad-based Olectra Greentech, while the bus in the Kurla accident was also an electric bus manufactured by the same company. However, one key difference is that, unlike the Kurla bus, which was driven by wet-lease contractors, the Bhandup bus was manned by the BEST’s own staff.

Both the buses went out of control, hitting pedestrians and vehicles causing multiple deaths and injuries. Four people were killed in the Bhandup accident on Monday night, while the Kurla accident claimed nine lives. 

Driver’s training

Both these incidents focus on driver training and experience with electric buses (especially braking/acceleration response), operational safety on busy urban streets, and design/handling characteristics specific to electric bus models.

Timing is another striking common factor between the two crashes: both incidents happened late at night, around the post-peak evening hours, when commuter spillover, hawkers, and poor visibility coincide on arterial stretches.

Midi bus option

Mumbai Vikas Samiti (MVS) had suggested midi buses near stations, as the roads are narrow and congested. However, BEST has gone for the nine-metre and twelve-metre-long buses. MVS suggested midi buses for a few stations where roads are narrow and also encroached by hawkers. “Nine-metre and twelve-metre buses can be used in other places,” said AV Shenoy of Mumbai Vikas Samiti and Mumbai Mobility Forum.

Striking similarities

>> Both accidents involve Olectra Greentech electric buses put to use by the BEST
>> Both occurred during night post-peak hours in December
>> Both happened on busy roads outside railway stations
>> They also stress need for adequate driver training