Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking has revealed that 834 accidents involving its buses have occurred in the last five years, resulting in the loss of 88 lives. In addition to the fatalities, many others were injured in these incidents, prompting the administration to pay a total of Rs 42.40 crores as financial compensation to the victims and their families.

This information was disclosed in response to an RTI query filed by activist Anil Galgali. Anil Galgali had asked the BEST administration about accidents, loss of life and financial compensation in the last 5 years. Egal Benjamin, Senior Transport Officer of BEST, gave detailed information about the last 5 years to Anil Galgali.

In the last 5 years, there have been 834 BEST bus accidents involving BEST and private contractors. BEST had 352 accidents with 51 fatalities while private contractors had 37 fatalities out of 482 accidents. The year 2022-23 and the year 2023-24 recorded the highest 21 deaths each.

Rs 42.40 crores financial compensation was given to the dead and injured in the last 5 years and there were 494 cases. The highest amount was given in the year 2022-23.

In 107 cases that year, the highest monetary Compensation amount was 12.40 crores. Compensation amount was 9.55 crore in the year 2019-20, 3.44 crore in the year 2020-21, 9.45 crore in the year 2021-22, 7.54 crore in the year 2023-24.

In the last 5 years the number of dismissals of employees in fatal accidents is 12 and 2 employees were dismissed in personal injury cases. 24 employees have been suspended in personal injury cases. In other actions, warning, understanding, strong warning, recovery, reduction in dual category have been done.

These statistics highlight the safety responsibility of the BEST administration. Anil Galgali says that this shows the need to take more precautions from the administration and employees.

Mumbai, Jan 13: Shiv Sena(UBT) leader and former Minister Aditya Thackeray has criticised the BJP-led government at the Centre and the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra for delay in naming the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) after veteran leader DB Patil and the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar airport after Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.

“Is this pendency normal for Union government of the BJP? Or is it purely because they want to keep insulting Maharashtra?” he asked.

In his post on X, Aditya Thackeray said, “It is the birth anniversary of DB Patil. In 2022, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) Government cabinet decided to name the Navi Mumbai International Airport as DB Patil International Airport and sent the recommendation to the Union government. The status: pending for approval from Govt of India. For over 3 years, despite all of us writing reminder letters to the Union Civil Aviation ministers (then and now), it remains pending. I once again request Union Civil Aviation Minister @RamMNK ji to approve the proposal today, on this special occasion.”

He further said, “Similarly, the proposal for Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar airport to be named as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj airport remains pending with the union government since 2020.”

In January 2024, the Shiv Sena(UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray made similar demands in his letter to the Centre.

“The Ayodhya airport has been renamed as Maharshi Valmiki International Airport and Mopa airport in Goa as Manohar International Airport after the state’s late chief minister Manohar Parrikar. If Ayodhya airport and Mopa airport can be named after individuals, then why can’t the same norm be applied to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Navi Mumbai airports in Maharashtra?” he asked.

Further, Aditya Thackeray’s move now to remind the state and Centre of naming NMIA is important as the Mahayuti government has indicated that the greenfield airport will start operations in April this year with 20 crore passengers handling capacity annually.

On December 29 last year, an Indigo A320 aircraft successfully touched down at the airport runway as NMIA conducted its first flight validation test. On October 11, 2024, the inaugural landing of an Indian Air Force C-295, a large multi-role tactical airlifter, took place from the airport.

Mumbai, Jan 13: Amid talks of the disintegration of INDIA bloc and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), the Shiv Sena(UBT) in its mouthpiece ‘Saamna’ editorial took a dig at the Congress party saying that it should not undermine the regional parties as it alone cannot fight on its own in many states.

“Congress does not have the strength to fight, but it does not stop putting its fingers in the bowl of the regional parties. Its results were seen in a state like Maharashtra. One truth that should be accepted is that the allies who entered the BJP’s “cave” have lost their existence. Congress should not behave with that attitude. Congress is and will remain a national party. There is no reason for anyone to have any doubts about that,” says the editorial.

“The earthworms or frogs formed during the monsoon season are destroyed as soon as the monsoon season ends. We are of the opinion that alliances like ‘INDIA’ formed for elections should not have a short life and should always be dedicated to national service. Congress and AAP may have a face-off in Delhi, but projecting Kejriwal as an anti-national during the poll campaign issue is not in keeping with the Congress culture. If Congress ‘alone’ has the ability to defeat the Modi mentality, no one will stop them. They should definitely do it. Still, winning a state like Maharashtra in a mafia-like manner shows what kind of politics the BJP and its affiliated gangs are winning. To fight this aberration, we need a thunderbolt of unity, leadership of the INIDIA bloc and if possible, a convenor. Otherwise, everything will go to waste. The All India National Congress should think about whether to let that happen,” reads the editorial requesting Congress to take an initiative to further strengthen the opposition alliance.

“There is an INDIA bloc in the country and MVA in Maharashtra but there is a feeling among the people that they are in a mess, who is responsible for it? When these two alliances were formed and started working, enthusiasm was created in every constituent party in the alliance and the public mind as a whole. Indians were confident that a force had been created to fight against the arbitrary administration and corruption imposed on the country. The feeling that Modi could be defeated in the country and the illegal government in Maharashtra started to burn like lightning, but are these two alliances now becoming dull and inactive? This is not good for the country,” reads the editorial.

It further adds, “The tree of INDIA bloc does not seem to be blooming. Omar Abdullah of the National Conference says that the last meeting of this alliance was held on June 1, 2024. After that, the Assembly elections of Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand were held. Congress could not make a big leap in these elections. Congress suffered a major defeat in Haryana and Maharashtra. After that, questions started being asked about the existence of the INDIA bloc. Mamata Banerjee even publicly said that she formed the INDIA Alliance and now if she gets the opportunity, she is ready to lead this alliance. This means that the leadership of the Congress is not acceptable to anyone. Lalu Prasad Yadav also expressed similar views.”

“In various states such as Punjab and Delhi, AAP and Congress are fighting against each other. In Kerala, there is a battle between Congress and the Left. In West Bengal, Congress will continue to fight against Trinamool and there is no alternative. Because every regional party has to maintain its own role, workers and existence, the Congress party is not ready to understand this. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is a seasoned and experienced leader but asks who will take the responsibility of restoring the disarray that has arisen in the INDIA bloc,” read the editorial.

The editorial mentions that some of the parties in the INDIA bloc today were once members of the National Democratic Alliance. “What does the experience of that alliance then tell us? Whether it was in power or not, when a national issue arose, an ‘NDA’ meeting was called in Delhi. Often, leaders like Pramod Mahajan and L.K. Advani would go to that state and discuss with the party chiefs there. The NDA also had a strong convener. For a long time, a senior leader like George Fernandes was in this position and this convenor would interact and discuss with the heads of all the constituent parties, and convene the meetings with dignity. Sometimes Atal Bihari Vajpayee would chair such meetings or L.K Advani would. Therefore, it must be accepted that the relationship within that alliance was not superficial, but rather built on family ties.”

Against this backdrop, the Shiv Sena(UBT) in the editorial makes a strong pitch for a strong INDIA bloc, saying that “elections will come and go but insisting that there is a need to put an end to jealousy, hatred and gossip to take on those who hijacked the elections and taken control of the country”.