Mumbai: Road Caves In Near Thakurdwar Due To Heavy Rain, BEST Bus Gets Stuck; Watch Viral Video

A BEST bus on route 121 in South Mumbai got stuck when a road caved in near Thakurdwar Junction. This incident happened around 9:25 am on Babasaheb Jaykar Marg. Fortunately, only the driver and conductor were aboard, and no injuries were reported.

Eyewitnesses noted that the rear left tyre of the bus, identified as Boeing MH01 DR-0915, sank into the road's collapsed section. The bus was travelling from Backbay Depot to J. Mehta Marg. Thankfully, there were no passengers at the time, avoiding potential danger during peak hours.

Emergency Response with Metro Crane

Authorities quickly responded to the situation. Tanaji Adarkar from Tata Motors was informed immediately. Recognising the urgency, a heavy-duty crane from Mumbai Metro Line 3 construction was brought in to assist. By 10:45 am, the crane successfully lifted the bus from the depression.

After a basic inspection, it was found that the bus had not suffered major mechanical damage. Although it stalled intermittently, it was fit to return to its depot under its own power. By 11:00 am, it was driven back to Backbay Bus Depot.

Temporary Route Diversion

The cave-in led to a temporary diversion of Route 121. Buses heading 'up' were rerouted via Kalaniketan-JSS Road-Thakurdwar Junction. Those going 'down' travelled through Girgaon Church, Rajaram Mohan Roy Marg, and M.K. Road before rejoining their usual path.

Officials confirmed that normal service resumed shortly after these adjustments. Primary checks revealed no significant structural damage to the bus; its chassis and suspension remained intact, and the engine was operational despite some stalling issues.

Infrastructure Challenges

The exact cause of this road cave-in is still under investigation. However, civic experts have long highlighted issues with Mumbai's ageing underground infrastructure. Frequent water seepage, unregulated utility work, and soil displacement are common problems during pre-monsoon and monsoon months.