MUMBAI: In the wake of a Kurla bus crash involving a wet lease driver, three other wet lease drivers employed by Mumbai’s BEST service have been dismissed over alcohol-related offenses in recent days.
A video recently surfaced showing a wet lease driver in Bandra (E) purchasing a sealed alcohol bottle and carrying it on the bus while on duty. This follows an earlier incident in Mulund, where a driver was found with an open liquor bottle behind the wheel and was allegedly intoxicated. Weeks prior, another driver from the Gorai depot was caught buying wine during work hours.
BEST General Manager Anil Diggikar stated: “This behavior will not be tolerated. We have taken up the matter with wet lease contractors, and the drivers have been sacked.”
In the Mulund case, security footage showed a guard confronting the driver, who denied owning a half-empty liquor bottle. The guard reprimanded him, saying: “You’re endangering lives by driving irresponsibly while inebriated.” The driver was found to be intoxicated on duty, confirmed a senior BEST official.
In the Bandra (E) incident, the driver was terminated after a widely circulated video showed him purchasing liquor and returning to the driver’s seat. A BEST traffic official explained: “Drivers are strictly prohibited from buying or possessing alcohol during working hours. This individual violated protocols while scheduled to transport passengers.”
Responding to these incidents, BEST has announced mandatory breathalyzer tests for all drivers at the start and end of their shifts. Diggikar emphasized: “This is essential for passenger safety. There must be strict checks to ensure drivers are not drinking on duty.”
While most drivers reportedly abstain from drinking while on duty, many have expressed their willingness to comply with the new breathalyzer policy. One driver, speaking anonymously, said: “We prioritize safety and will cooperate fully with the authorities.”
Activist Godfrey Pimenta added: “The lack of mandatory breath tests has made it impossible to verify if drivers are inebriated while working, which poses significant risks to passengers.”
In the Kurla crash, officials clarified that the driver was neither intoxicated nor was the vehicle’s brake system faulty. Investigations into all cases are ongoing.
