In the past five years, 88 people lost their lives in accidents involving BEST buses, as revealed through a Right to Information (RTI) query filed by civic activist Anil Galgali. The data showed 834 accidents involving BEST buses, leading to financial compensation of Rs 42.40 crores paid to the families of the deceased and injured citizens.
The BEST administration also disclosed that 14 employees were dismissed, and 24 were suspended in connection with these accidents. One of the most notable incidents was the Kurla BEST bus accident, which claimed nine lives.
Anil Galgali’s RTI sought details about accidents, fatalities, and compensation over the last five years. Egal Benjamin, Senior Transport Officer of BEST, provided a comprehensive report covering both BEST-operated buses and those managed by private contractors. The data revealed 834 accidents, with 352 involving BEST buses (resulting in 51 fatalities) and 482 involving private contractors (leading to 37 fatalities). The years 2022-23 and 2023-24 were the deadliest, with 21 fatalities recorded in each year.
Regarding financial compensation, Rs 42.40 crores were distributed in 494 cases over the five years. The highest payout occurred in 2022-23, totaling Rs 12.40 crores across 107 cases. In comparison, the payouts were Rs 9.55 crores in 2019-20, Rs 3.44 crores in 2020-21, Rs 9.45 crores in 2021-22, and Rs 7.54 crores in 2023-24.
Regarding accountability, 12 employees were dismissed due to fatal accidents, and two were dismissed in personal injury cases. Additionally, 24 employees were suspended for personal injury-related incidents. Other disciplinary actions included warnings, recoveries, demotions, and corrective measures.
These statistics underscore the need for enhanced safety measures by the BEST administration. Anil Galgali emphasized that the data highlights a pressing responsibility for the administration and its employees to prioritize precautionary measures to prevent further tragedies.