Mumbai: A shocking incident took place on Thursday evening when a passenger assaulted and verbally abused a BEST bus driver near CSMT station for not opening the door of the bus. The incident occurred around 6:40 PM on Bus No. 111, which runs between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Free Press House in Nariman Point.
According to an eyewitness, the bus was stuck in heavy traffic just before reaching CSMT. A male passenger asked the driver to open the door so he could get off the bus in the middle of traffic. However, the driver refused. This led to a heated argument between the passenger and the driver. In the middle of the dispute, the passenger allegedly called the driver “badhir” and used abusive language at him.
The passenger and the driver reportedly became violent and began hitting each other. The altercation took place in front of several passengers, some of whom tried to intervene. A video of the incident has surfaced online, showing the driver grabbing the passenger's shirt as the two engaged in a fight.
In another news story related to the BEST bus in Mumbai, the regular commuters on BEST Bus Route No. 111, which runs from Free Press Journal Marg in Nariman Point to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), are expressing strong dissatisfaction with the inconsistent bus frequency, especially during the busy evening hours. The irregular service is causing inconvenience to thousands of office-goers heading home to distant suburbs after a tiring day at work.
In recent days, long queues have become a common sight at the starting point of the route near Free Press House. On Monday, commuters were left standing in the rain without adequate shelter, as there are no proper covered waiting areas at the stop. The situation was made worse by the lack of communication from the BEST controller present at the location.
Frustrated passengers approached the controller to ask about bus timings, but he reportedly failed to provide clear information. Despite the growing queue, he also declined to divert a few Route No. 100 buses, which operate to Churchgate, toward CSMT to help manage the rush. Angered by the situation, a group of daily commuters has now launched a petition, demanding frequent service on Route No. 111 during peak hours.
