Between January 2023 and December 2025, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) buses were involved in 958 major accidents, resulting in 77 fatalities and 217 injuries, according to official data.
Sources within the undertaking said that more than 85% of these incidents involved wet-lease buses, once again drawing attention to the operating model that depends heavily on private contractors.
In May 2026 alone, at least 10 incidents involving accidents or maintenance-related problems were reported.
Safety concerns have persisted over the past two years. In 2024, a series of bus fires prompted the administration to order technical audits of all CNG buses. Additionally, multiple reports emerged of buses breaking down on roads because of mechanical and technical faults.
At a BEST committee meeting on Monday, May 8, elected representatives raised concerns about the system and suggested that the wet-lease model may need to be reassessed if safety standards do not improve.
BEST Committee Chairperson Trushna Vishwasrao said the undertaking has instructed wet-lease operators to take immediate measures to reduce accidents, noting that public confidence in wet-lease buses has been declining. She indicated that the corporation could consider discontinuing the model if safety performance fails to improve.
Committee members placed significant responsibility on the private operators, alleging that inadequate driver compensation may be contributing to operational and safety concerns. A senior BEST official said inspections had identified at least 12 buses with technical defects that had nevertheless been cleared for service. Those vehicles were subsequently withdrawn from operation. The official also noted that some wet-lease operators had requested a reduction in the mandatory four-week driver training programme, arguing that it affected scheduling and operations.
According to BEST sources, wet-lease buses will now be subjected to the same inspection and maintenance standards as the corporation’s own fleet. The vehicles will undergo checks at depots by BEST inspectors and engineers, along with representatives of the private operators.
To strengthen accountability, BEST has begun imposing penalties of ₹10,000 for each instance in which safety defects are ignored.
For the unversed, under the wet-lease arrangement, BEST hires private operators to provide buses along with drivers. This allows the financially stressed transport undertaking to expand or reduce services without making large capital investments in vehicles.
Private contractors are responsible for supplying, maintaining and operating the buses, including hiring drivers. However, BEST retains overall supervisory responsibility and is tasked with ensuring that operators comply with its standard operating procedures.