A portion of a road in South Mumbai caved in on Monday morning, trapping a BEST bus near Thakurdwar Junction and prompting a coordinated emergency response. The incident occurred at approximately 9:25 am on Babasaheb Jaykar Marg, where the bus on route number 121, en route from Backbay Depot to J. Mehta Marg, suddenly got stuck due to a depression in the road.
According to eyewitnesses and officials, the rear left tyre of the Boeing MH01 DR-0915 bus sank into the collapsed section of the road. The driver and conductor, the only occupants at the time, were unharmed. Fortunately, no passengers were onboard when the incident occurred, preventing what could have been a far more dangerous situation during peak hours.
Swift response with Metro crane
Following the incident, authorities were alerted immediately. Tanaji Adarkar, a Tata Motors official, was informed of the situation. Recognising the urgency, rescue personnel arranged for a heavy-duty crane being used in the construction of Mumbai Metro Line 3 to be brought in.
By 10:45 am, the crane had successfully lifted the bus from the collapsed section. After basic inspection, it was determined that the bus had not suffered major mechanical damage. Though the vehicle had stalled intermittently, it was deemed fit to return to the depot under its own power. The bus was driven back to the Backbay Bus Depot by 11:00 am.
Temporary route diversion
The cave-in led to the temporary diversion of Route 121. In the ‘up’ direction, buses were rerouted via Kalaniketan–JSS Road–Thakurdwar Junction, while those in the ‘down’ direction travelled through Girgaon Church, Rajaram Mohan Roy Marg, and M.K. Road before rejoining the normal route. Officials from the Backbay Depot ADM office confirmed that the route was restored to normal service shortly afterward.
No structural damage to bus
Primary checks indicated that the bus sustained no significant structural damage. The chassis and suspension remained intact, and the engine was operational. The driver reported that the vehicle had stalled a few times but could still be driven without risk.
While the specific cause of the road cave-in is still under investigation, civic experts have long pointed to the challenges of Mumbai’s ageing underground infrastructure, especially during the pre-monsoon and monsoon months. Frequent water seepage, unregulated utility work, and soil displacement contribute to such incidents, often risking commuter safety.
