The death toll in the tragic BEST bus accident in Mumbai's Kurla West rose to seven, with 42 others sustaining injuries, officials confirmed on Tuesday. The accident occurred on Monday night when a bus rammed into pedestrians and vehicles along SG Barve Marg, police said. Eyewitness Mohammad Azhar Sheikh described the scene as horrific, with people scrambling to escape the oncoming vehicle.
The driver of the bus, who was apprehended following the incident, denied any signs of intoxication. Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the accident, with preliminary reports indicating the possibility of reckless driving. The Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) bus was heading towards Andheri when it lost control. Over a 100-metre stretch, it collided with 30-40 vehicles before crashing into the RCC column of the Solomon Building, breaking its compound wall, according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Sharing details with the media after more than five hours of the accident, the BEST said “as per the initial information, the driver lost control of the bus”. The driver of the BEST bus lost control over the wheels on route A322 while plying from Kurla station to Sakinaka. As a result, the bus dashed into pedestrians as well as some vehicles, according to officials.
The BEST undertaking's bus, after ploughing through pedestrians and vehicles, entered into a residential society, Buddha Colony, and came to a halt, they said.The Mumbai Police has shut the SG Barve Marg, connecting to Kurla station, for traffic movement. As a result, the BEST is operating buses on as many as 10 routes from other nearby locations instead of plying to Kurla station, an official from the transport body said.Barve Road is one of the busiest routes connecting to Kurla station.