Mumbai News: Spate Of Electric BEST Bus Breakdowns Sparks Concerns Over Reliability And Contractor Maintenance

A series of electric bus breakdowns in Mumbai over in last few days has raised concerns about the reliability of the city’s electric public transport. Between September 15 and 22, the Mumbai Traffic Police reported at least seven breakdowns on social media platform X (formerly  known as Twitter). These incidents caused major traffic jams and delays for commuters on important routes.

Key Spots Affected

According to  Mumbai Traffic Police notable spots affected include Mint Road near Kabutarkhana (northbound) on September 22, Tinbatti Junction (D B Marg) on September 21, and the area around Muhammed Ali Surti Hotel (southbound) on September 20. Similar breakdowns earlier in September were recorded near Vakola Bridge, Aarey Bridge, Ballard Pier Junction (Azad Maidan), and Forjett Street (Tardeo), all involving electric BEST buses.

Commuter Outrage on Social Media

These breakdowns have resulted in significant commuter delays, fueling online debates about the dependability of Mumbai’s electric buses. One social media user questioned, “Are they just simply running out of battery? Because traffic delays and routes are longer than their charging cycles.” Meanwhile, Samir Mohite, a commuter, blamed contractors for poor upkeep, stating, “The contractors are the main culprits that can’t maintain buses, resulting in frequent breakdowns.”

Poor Maintenance Cited as Cause

According to sources poor maintenance is one the main reason behind this issue. "The breakdowns come at a critical juncture as Mumbai intensifies efforts to promote greener public transport. However, these incidents expose the challenges in operating and maintaining electric buses on a large scale in a congested city with heavy traffic pressures" said a BEST workers who didn't want to be quoted.

Similarly an union leader also pointed fingers at the contractors, accusing them of breaching contractual obligations. “We have informed BEST management several times about violations of contractual conditions. Many contractors do not follow the provisions set in the contracts. They focus on money, not passenger safety or service quality,” the leader said.

Dependence on Wet-Lease System

Currently more than 83% of the fleet—are operated by BEST under wet-lease agreements with private contractors, highlighting the city’s dependence on third-party operators for daily transit services. According to sources number of BEST owned buses gone down up to around 400.

Timeline of Breakdowns (September 15–22)

September 22: An electric BEST bus broke down near Mint Road Kabutarkhana, close to CSMT (Azad Maidan), causing northbound traffic to slow significantly.

September 21: Another electric bus breakdown at Tinbatti Junction (D.B. Marg) disrupted traffic flow.

September 20: A southbound route near Muhammed Ali Surti Hotel was impacted by a stalled electric bus.

September 17: Two separate breakdowns were recorded—one at Vakola Bridge (southbound) and another at Aarey Bridge (southbound).

September 16: A bus broke down at Ballard Pier Junction (Azad Maidan), affecting southbound commuters.

September 15: Commuters on Forjett Street (Tardeo) faced delays due to yet another electric bus malfunction