BEST bus crash in Dadar spotlights safety concerns for electric wet-lease fleet

A fatal crash in Dadar involving a BEST electric midi bus has renewed scrutiny of safety standards in Mumbai’s civic-run transport operations. Officials said the nine-metre bus was the first electric passenger vehicle inducted into the BEST fleet in 2019 under a wet-lease arrangement. Recent BEST collisions have heightened public concern.

A nine-metre midi bus linked to a fatal crash in Dadar on Monday was BEST’s first wet-leased electric passenger bus. Officials said the vehicle entered the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport fleet in 2019. The crash killed one man and injured six others, including one seriously. The bus hit two cars and other vehicles.

The collision happened near Veer Kotwal Udyan junction at about 9.30 am. BEST formed a four-member panel of senior officials to investigate. The incident renewed safety questions around the civic-run operator. It also followed several recent accidents involving BEST buses across Mumbai, according to officials.

BEST electric buses and the wet lease model

BEST began adding battery buses in November 2017, before shifting to wet leases. Under wet lease terms, private operators handle maintenance and driver costs. Before this model, BEST had only six Olectra Greentech midi e-buses. The Dadar crash vehicle was the seventh electric bus in BEST’s total fleet.

BEST now runs over 1,300 electric buses within a fleet of about 2,700. Only 250 electric buses are owned by the transport body. Most electric buses are hired from private firms. The rest of the fleet uses diesel and CNG buses, officials said, outlining the current mix.

Olectra electric buses in BEST fleet

More than 800 wet-leased electric buses came from subsidiaries of Olectra, a listed firm. Around 40 of these are midi buses. The Hyderabad headquartered company won two deals to supply 4,500 buses to BEST. Several recent serious crashes involved Olectra-made buses running for BEST.

Officials said the Dadar crash bus had 32 seats and was registered on August 27, 2019. It entered service after an inauguration on September 9, 2019. The bus had a fitness certificate valid until August 26, 2027. An RTO official said the latest fitness check was on September 12, 2025.

Past BEST electric buses accidents in Mumbai

One major crash happened in Kurla on December 9, 2024. A 12-metre electric bus hit and killed nine people. It also injured around 40 others. Another incident in Lalbaug in September 2024 killed a woman and hurt others. Police said a drunk passenger allegedly grabbed the steering wheel.

A separate crash in Bhandup in December 2025 involved a nine-metre midi bus on wet lease. The accident killed four people and injured 13 others outside Bhandup railway station. Another incident occurred outside the same station on April 19, 2026. An Olectra-made midi bus rolled backwards, with no casualties reported.

On June 3, 2023, a BEST-owned Olectra midi e-bus lost control in south Mumbai. It hit a privately-owned bus parked on the roadside. A pedestrian died in that crash. More recently, four BEST buses collided in Andheri. That chain crash killed a conductor, officials said.

A retired BEST official, who did not wish to be named, linked many crashes to control issues. "In electric buses, the initial acceleration is too high, which drivers are unable to control or remove the foot from pedal in panic situation. Hence, most of the accidents are due to human error. Need some remedial measures to slow or restrict sudden acceleration, he maintained.\"

The Dadar crash added to scrutiny of BEST operations as electric buses expand in Mumbai. Investigators were expected to review the bus condition and operating factors. Officials said the vehicle paperwork remained valid, based on its fitness records. BEST’s internal committee was set to submit findings after examining the events at the junction.

With inputs from PTI