Mumbai BEST bus crash: Human error suspected, bus ‘mechanically sound'

The accident involving an electric bus of Mumbai’s civic-run transport undertaking BEST that resulted in the death of four people while injuring 10 others after the more than 6-year-old vehicle ploughed into a crowd may have been a result of “human error” as the bus appeared to be “mechanically sound”, officials said.

The Olectra Greentech-made nine-metre-long electric bus from the fleet of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking crashed into pedestrians near Bhandup (West) suburban railway station on Monday night, killing four people and injuring 10 others.

‘Bus mechanically sound’

“The bus appears to be mechanically sound. A human error might have caused the accident,” a senior official of the transport undertaking told PTI, under condition of anonymity.

At the time of the accident, the bus was being driven by Santosh Ramesh Sawant (52), who has been with BEST for the past 15 years, he informed.

‘Driver thought bus in neutral mode’

According to a report in the Hindustan Times, during interrogation, the drivertold investigators that he thought that the bus was in neutral mode, but when he pressed the accelerator after starting the engine, the vehicle lurched forward as it was actually in drive mode.

Also Read: Four killed, nine injured as BEST bus runs over pedestrians in Mumbai’s Bhandup

The report further stated that instead of breaking, the bus lurched forward and picked up speed. Sawant tried to swerve to the right to avoid a bigger tragedy, but the bus got onto the footpath and hit around 15 people.

According to a release issued by the BEST administration, police have arrested Sawant and registered a case against him for negligent driving.

What BEST authorities said

Sources in BEST said a few minutes before the crash, Sawant had driven the bus on Route 606 to Bhandup (West) station with an average speed of just 7 kmph. The bus was then parked near the station in a crowded area for about five minutes.

After taking a brief bio break, the driver returned to the steering wheel, and this is when the accident occurred, the sources said, adding the exact cause of the crash was still under investigation.

Also Read: 6 killed, 28 injured in bus accident in Tenkasi

The air-conditioned electric bus was part of a fleet of 25 midi buses that the BEST administration had transferred to the Vikhroli depot from Dharavi in the island city a few months ago.

This was done after the seven-metre-long mini buses, which had been plying on congested and narrow roads of Bhandup, were scrapped after completing their codal life (estimated lifespan).

‘No mechanical flaw found’

A Wadala RTO official said the bus, currently parked outside the Bhandup police chowki, was inspected, and nothing adverse or faulty related to its mechanical condition was found.

Also Read: Uttarakhand bus accident: Five killed as vehicle falls into gorge

“The brakes were functioning properly, and there was no issue with the starting system as well,” the official explained.

The official said they have also sought BEST and Olectra’s inspection reports on the bus’s condition, besides details of the driver's driving licence from the police.

Driver might have panicked’

Another RTO official, who inspected both the accident spot and the bus, told PTI that, as per preliminary investigation, the vehicle was taking a right turn from its starting point.

“The driver may have panicked while taking the turn, and in that situation, he could have pressed the accelerator hard,” the RTO official stated, citing his observations after the inspection.

‘Brake failure ruled out’

RTO officials ruled out the possibility of brake failure, noting that electric buses do not move if air pressure is low in the braking system.

According to the officials, the Olectra-made midi bus is six years and four months old, having been registered at the Tardeo RTO in August 2021.

Also Read: Nine killed, 22 injured as bus overturns on Chinturu ghat road in Andhra Pradesh

A BEST official said the bus underwent a fitness test in August 2025, and the renewal certificate was valid until August 2027. The bus also has valid insurance.

As per Olectra officials, the bus was off-road between December 6 and December 24, during which its battery packs were replaced, and there was no mechanical defect in the vehicle.

Earlier incident

This was the second such accident in Mumbai involving a wet-leased bus of Olectra.

On the night of December 9, 2024, an electric bus hired by BEST on a wet lease basis from the private company ploughed into a crowd, killing nine persons and injuring 40 others in the Kurla (West) area.

(With agency inputs)