Overview
- A Route 242 bus operated under a private wet‑lease contract lost control while turning near the Andheri subway and struck 14 vehicles, injuring between four and eight people in the afternoon of Friday, July 10.
- DN Nagar police have registered an FIR for rash and negligent driving, detained driver Sahil Suryakant Sawant and questioned conductor Kiran Appa Chawan as the bus was towed to a BEST depot for inspection.
- The driver has claimed the brakes failed, while authorities say an RTO technical inspection, CCTV review and eyewitness statements will be used to determine whether mechanical fault, human error or another factor caused the crash.
- The collision has intensified scrutiny of BEST’s wet‑lease model after official data showed 249 wet‑lease accidents from January–May 2026 with 10 deaths, and critics are demanding independent audits, stricter oversight and better maintenance.
- If investigations confirm systemic maintenance or supervision lapses, the outcome could prompt faster investment in BEST‑owned buses, tighter contractor monitoring and possible administrative or criminal action against responsible parties.