Sameer Surve

The BEST committee ordered wet-lease buses to stop overtime to the drivers, to avoid stress while driving the buses, also one paid duty off after every 11 days. Periodic maintenance of the buses will be under supervision of the BEST engineers. This decision came in force after the Dadar BEST bus crash, and a 22-year-old killed youth.In the aftermath of the fatal Dadar BEST bus crash that claimed the life of a 22-year-old delivery executive, the BEST Committee has directed wet-lease bus operators to stop assigning overtime to drivers, provide a paid day off after every 11 days of work, and ensure periodic maintenance of buses under the supervision of BEST engineers.The decision was taken following an emergency meeting convened by the BEST administration with wet-lease bus operators on Wednesday. The administration outlined a four-point action plan focusing on fixed duty hours, daily inspections, periodic maintenance, and mandatory paid leave for drivers.A fatal accident involving an air-conditioned electric BEST bus left one person dead and six others injured near Plaza Cinema in Dadar West during the morning rush hour on June 8. The wet-leased bus operating on Route 463 went out of control near Veer Kotwal Garden, crashing into a taxi, two cars and two two-wheelers. A 22-year-old food delivery executive died on the spot, while six others, including two BEST inspectors, suffered serious injuries.BEST Committee chairperson Trushna Vishwasrao confirmed that operators had been instructed to regulate driver duty hours and strengthen maintenance protocols.“We held a meeting with wet-lease bus operators and issued several directives regarding driver duty hours and vehicle maintenance. We have specifically asked them to stop assigning overtime to drivers,” she said.Wet-lease buses are already subjected to daily inspections by BEST staff before they leave depots. While these checks help identify minor defects, officials said more comprehensive periodic maintenance is necessary to detect and address major mechanical issues.“This maintenance will be carried out by the operators, but BEST staff will verify and supervise the process,” a BEST official said.The cause of the crash remains under investigation. While driver Vikas Padave claimed that a technical malfunction caused the bus to accelerate automatically after he released the handbrake, preliminary findings by the Regional Transport Office pointed to driver negligence, noting that the braking system was functioning properly.Senior BEST Committee member Sunil Ganacharya stressed the need for stricter oversight of drivers' working hours.“There is a need to regulate drivers' duty schedules. Overtime for wet-lease drivers must be monitored and restricted,” he said.Committee member Ramakant Gupta said operators had been directed to ensure adequate rest periods for drivers.“We have asked operators to avoid assigning overtime. If overtime becomes unavoidable, the driver must be given at least nine hours of rest after the shift. Operators must also provide one paid holiday after every 11 days of duty. In addition, periodic maintenance of wet-lease buses will now be monitored by BEST supervisors,” Gupta said.

Days after private contractor labourers were spotted desilting stormwater drains without basic personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves and gumboots in Andheri and Matunga, an even more alarming violation has surfaced: the alleged use of child labourers to clean a heavily polluted nullah in Wadala.

Are tired, overworked wet-lease bus drivers – doubling as cabbies in their free time to supplement their poor pay – the reason behind the recent spate of BEST accidents?

A Mumbai Mirror report and 82 objections from citizens have now resulted in the MMRDA scaling back a plan to chop 125 of the city's iconic Tabebuia trees – popularly known as pink trumpet trees – and spare 77 of them.

Mumbai's roads may be crumbling and its drains choking with filth just days before the monsoon hits – but what are the city's corporators discussing? Government offices displaying pictures of the CM and deputy CMs!

Mumbai's water crisis has deepened as a delayed monsoon and intense summer heat continue to drain the city's reservoirs, prompting the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to tighten water restrictions across the city. According to the BMC's Hydraulic Department, Mumbai has already lost nearly 20 days of water stock due to heavy evaporation caused by prolonged high temperatures.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will review the city's water situation at the end of June amid concerns over a delayed monsoon and declining reservoir levels. Civic officials have indicated that water cuts could be increased if rainfall remains below expectations.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday launched a sharp attack on Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut, accusing them of arrogance and pursuing politics driven by personal interests.

With the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's elected general body now in place, corporators are tapping into public sentiment and symbolism by pushing for statues of public figures that have been awaiting clearance for a long time.

Confronted with critically low water levels across its seven reservoirs due to a delayed monsoon, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is preparing to consider unprecedented emergency measures, including restrictions on the use of groundwater sources such as wells and borewells.