MUMBAI: BEST bus operating on Route 496 collided head-on with a private travel bus in Mulund West early Saturday morning. The incident, which occurred around 5.50am, left the BEST bus driver injured and triggered a minor fire in the vehicle’s bonnet. The fire was swiftly extinguished by the bus crew and passengers.According to official reports, the BEST bus, operated by a wet-lease operator and attached to the Majas depot, was travelling from SEEPZ towards Teen Hath Naka in Thane. Due to ongoing Metro construction work on LBS Marg in Mulund, traffic had been restricted to a single lane. At this point, an oncoming private travel bus collided head-on with the BEST bus.The impact caused the steering wheel to hit the abdomen of the BEST bus driver, Sandeep Namdev Karande, 40. He also suffered heavy bleeding and injuries to his right leg.The collision also sparked a fire in the bus’s bonnet. The conductor used the onboard fire extinguisher to immediately douse the flames. Passengers alerted the fire brigade, but the conductor had brought the fire under control by the time emergency services arrived.Following the incident, the conductor rushed the injured driver to Agarwal Hospital in Mulund for treatment. Authorities said Karande was conscious and in stable condition.
