Mumbai: After the Kurla bus accident, two videos highlighting instances of drunken driving by a BEST (Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport) bus driver went viral on Wednesday night, reigniting concerns about passenger safety and the accountability of contract-based drivers.
The videos, shared on December 11 by Kharghar-based photographer Sameer Mohite on X (formerly Twitter) at 11:14 PM, have sparked widespread outrage. Mohite captioned the post, “These are the so-called contract drivers @myBESTBus got through contractors who are not scared of authorities because contractors have BEST authority in the palm of their hands.”
| A shocking claim has emerged about the contract drivers employed by BEST, alleging that they operate with impunity due to their contractors having undue influence over BEST authorities. This raises serious concerns about accountability, safety, and corruption… pic.twitter.com/AT7dM731Vj
— ℝ (@Rajmajiofficial) December 11, 2024
Reacting to Mohite’s post, X user Prasad Rajguru commented, "This is alarming, BEST and the people running it down the ground have to clarify. There are so many people in Mumbai who are dependent on it."
Another user, @Pravasachesobati, tagged the Mumbai Traffic Police and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, saying, "@MTPHereToHelp now #mumbaikar are catching drunk BEST drivers. It's your work as per law. Do you exist? No hopes remaining from @myBESTBus. Can someone stop this leased buses staff @Dev_Fadnavis @mieknathshinde.”
While the date of the first video has yet to be verified, sources report that the second video, which allegedly shows a driver from a wet-lease bus under the influence of alcohol, occurred on November 18th.
"Second video belongs to a incidence happened on November 18th after the wet lease bus of BEST returned to the Mulund bus depot from police duty. During a security check, a bottle of alcohol was found on the bus. In the 24-second clip, the driver admits to being drunk but denies knowledge of the alcohol bottle found behind his seat" said sources.
However BEST officials and authorities concerned are yet to issue a formal statement on the matter. Apart from that, another video of a wet lease bus driver of BEST purchasing a bottle of alcohol from a wine shop in Andheri West went viral on Thursday.
In the video, the driver can be seen after stopping the bus, which was operating on route number A-259 with passengers on board , and purchasing a bottle of alcohol. The 38-second video shows the driver returning to the driving seat and starting the bus again after buying the alcohol.
However, when contacted, an official of BEST stated that the video is old and belongs to a wet lease bus. The official added that the driver was dismissed from service after the incident.
These videos has sparked demands for stricter oversight of BEST's operations, especially concerning wet lease drivers. With lakhs of Mumbai commuters relying on BEST daily, such lapses pose a significant risk to public safety.