Pedestrian killed after BEST bus brakes fail on Sion-Panvel highway in Mankhurd
A 65-year-old pedestrian was killed on Monday morning when a BEST bus crashed into a road divider on the Sion-Panvel highway opposite Vishwakarma Hospital in Mankhurd, after the vehicle's brakes failed.
The deceased, Bhaskar Kagde, was a farmer from Dharashiv who was visiting his daughter in Mankhurd. Kagde was waiting near the road divider for a long-distance bus to Pune to visit his other daughter when he was struck. Local residents noted that commuters frequently wait near the divider to catch long-distance buses before they enter the Mankhurd flyover.
The driver, 51-year-old Banwari Sharma, said the accident occurred approximately 40 minutes after he took the bus out from the Kurla (East) depot at 7:50 AM. Sharma, who has driven BEST buses in Mumbai for three years and is employed by wet-lease operator Mateshwari Urban Travels, stated he did not realize the brakes were failing while navigating congested streets at slow speeds.
According to Sharma, the brake issue became pronounced when the bus picked up speed on a slope on the highway. As he approached the bus stop, he attempted to slow down to avoid autorickshaws overtaking him on both sides. When the brakes failed, he swerved toward the road divider to prevent hitting bystanders. Although Sharma shouted to warn people to move, Kagde did not step out of the way in time.
Several passengers were injured in the crash. Shivmangal Maitri, 42, a labourer, suffered a dislocated right shoulder. Lata Waghela, 42, a fruit vendor who was seated directly behind the driver, sustained a fracture to her left hand. Both the driver and the bus conductor, Vaibhav Waghmare, 41, were taken to Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar for treatment. Sharma sustained injuries to his head, chest, and knees, while Waghmare sustained minor injuries.
The accident has highlighted ongoing commuter complaints regarding the poor maintenance of buses on route 501, which connects Kurla (East) and Airoli. Regular passengers stated that the buses on this route routinely break down or slow down suddenly. While passenger Waghela claimed the driver had been driving roughly before the crash, Sharma stated from his hospital bed that drivers are expected to meet strict schedules and cannot always wait for vehicles to be fully road-ready.
