Mumbai Bus Accident: Chilling CCTV footage has emerged from Mumbai’s Bhandup, showing a BEST bus taking a disastrous reverse that killed four people on
Monday evening, December 29. Station Road in Bhandup (West) is already a crowded and narrow area, making U-turns risky, and the danger increases when a large vehicle like a bus is involved. Locals said the cheap vegetable stalls, bus stop, and other attractions draw large crowds daily, and vendors setting up their stalls add to the congestion. The video, captured by a camera at a nearby textile shop, shows people standing by the roadside suddenly panicking as the bus reverses. Some passengers are crushed under the wheels, while others run desperately in different directions to escape. The accident occurred around 10 pm near the bus route’s endpoint. Police confirmed that four people, including three women, died, while nine others sustained injuries. The injured were taken to a nearby hospital and are receiving treatment. Also Read: BMC Polls 2025: Mahayuti Seals BMC Seat-Sharing as BJP Takes 137, Shiv Sena 90 Authorities have detained the bus driver and registered an FIR in connection with the incident. Senior civic officials said the mishap happened while the driver was reversing the vehicle. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described the accident as “extremely unfortunate” in a post on X, paying tribute to the deceased and offering prayers for the injured. He announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹5 lakh to the families of each person killed. The bus involved in the accident was a wet-leased midi bus hired from Olectra Greentech. Under the wet-lease model followed by BEST, the contractor provides the fuel, driver, and maintenance for the vehicle. The accident has renewed concerns about deploying midi buses in the Bhandup area. Earlier this year, mini buses operating crowded routes connecting Bhandup station to areas near the Sanjay Gandhi National Park were withdrawn. Due to a shortage of buses, BEST later introduced Olectra-made midi buses on these routes despite operational challenges, including a limited turning radius. Officials warned that such constraints may pose a risk to passengers and called for stricter safety measures for midi buses operating in crowded areas.
