BEST drivers are not that bad: GM

BEST is bristling at being compared with the worst. It claimed that though accidents were on the rise, it would be unfair to put the blame solely on drivers.

BEST General Manager Uttam Khobragade said that in most cases it was found that the victim was crushed under the rear wheel of the bus. Unlike Delhi’s Blue Line buses, BEST had been involved in very few head-on collisions.

“I am not trying to justify anything. But if motorcyclists ram into the bus from behind, or pedestrians come under the rear wheel, the driver should not be held responsible,” said Khobragade.

He cited the increase in number of vehicles on city roads as another cause for the rise in number of accidents. BEST has dismissed nearly 24 drivers for negligent driving. “Others involved in fatal accidents were relieved after detailed enquiry,” said Khobragade.

Union members too claimed that BEST drivers rarely violated traffic regulations. Union leader Sunil Ganacharya said, “Rarely have BEST drivers been caught for traffic violations, such as jumping the signal or lane-cutting. Traffic police slap a fine Rs 100 for every violation and sends the challan to the undertaking. BEST pays it and later deduct the amount from the respective driver’s salary.”

Joint Commissioner of Police (traffic) Vijay Kamble said that the bad condition of city roads and the ever increasing vehicular congestion were to be blamed for the rise in road accidents. “It must be taken into account that over 15 lakh vehicles ply the city roads during peak hours. Congestion is what we need to tackle at this juncture,” Kamble said.