96% Of Fatal BEST Bus Accidents Involve Wet-Lease Buses; Chairman Admits Trust Has Been Lost After Dadar Crash
· Free Press Journal
Mumbai: The fatal BEST wet-lease electric bus accident near Dadar on Sunday has once again put the spotlight on the safety record of privately operated buses running under the undertaking's wet-lease model. Official data and internal sources indicate that nearly 96 per cent of fatal BEST bus accidents reported between August 2025 and May 2026 involved wet-lease buses, raising serious questions about operational safety and oversight.
Fatal accident data
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According to sources, a total of 23 fatal bus accidents were recorded during the 10-month period. Of these, 22 involved wet-lease buses, while only one involved a BEST-owned vehicle. The broader accident data also shows a similar trend. Out of 907 bus accidents reported during the period, 887 involved wet-lease buses and only 20 involved BEST-owned buses. Fatalities were also overwhelmingly linked to the wet-lease fleet, with 22 deaths compared to one death involving a BEST-owned bus.
The latest incident occurred around 9.30 am on June 8 when Route 463 bus number 711, operated by Evey Trans (Olectra), was returning from Veer Kotwal Udyan (Plaza) to Dharavi Depot. The bus rammed into a stationary crane and a taxi before causing further damage on the road. Two motorcyclists suffered serious injuries in the crash. One later died during treatment, while the other remains admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at Sion Hospital. Two BEST inspectors and the bus conductor travelling inside the vehicle were also injured and are undergoing treatment.
Latest incident details
The accident damaged two motorcycles, a taxi and a private vehicle. Following the incident, BEST constituted a four-member inquiry committee to investigate the cause of the crash. The undertaking has also directed all wet-lease operators to strengthen safety measures and ensure strict compliance with operational protocols.
The figures are significant because the majority of BEST's current fleet is operated through private contractors. BEST presently operates 2,801 buses, of which 2,553 are wet-lease buses and only 249 are self-owned vehicles. Despite forming nearly 91 per cent of the fleet, the wet-lease buses account for almost all fatal accidents reported during the period, a trend that has triggered concerns among commuters, employee unions and transport experts.
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Responding to the growing criticism, BEST Chairman Trusha Vishwasrao acknowledged the public's concerns. “Wet-lease buses are losing trust day by day, and trust has now been lost. We will focus on increasing the number of BEST buses as soon as possible,” she said.
The Dadar crash is expected to intensify the debate over the expanding dependence on wet-lease operations and whether stricter monitoring, better driver training and greater accountability are needed to restore public confidence in Mumbai's bus transport system.
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