Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Jun 17: A BEST bus on Route 121 got trapped in a sudden road cave-in on Dr Babasaheb Jaykar Marg near the Girgaon Metro Line 3 rehabilitation site on Monday morning. The incident, triggered by continuous rainfall, occurred around 10 am near Thakurdwar, above an under-construction section of the underground metro line.

The rear tyre of the bus, operated by a private contractor under Tata, sank into a hidden depression caused by the collapse of the road surface. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported, and all passengers were safely evacuated moments after the mishap.

“Our bus from Backbay Depot got stuck, but no passengers were hurt. As the bus is operated by a private contractor, their team was instructed to remove it promptly,” said BEST spokesperson Sudas Sawant. The vehicle was later pulled out and towed away, according to sources.

Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) said that preliminary findings indicate that water seepage into the basement pit of the rehabilitation building, possibly from a leaking underground utility line, led to subsoil erosion. This erosion likely created a cavity beneath the road that collapsed under the weight of the bus.

“The cavity was invisible from the surface and the situation was handled swiftly after the incident,” an MMRCL official noted.

In response, MMRCL is working alongside Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to locate and seal any leaks in the area’s water supply, sewer, or stormwater drain networks to prevent further erosion.

Repair work on the damaged road section is underway, with both MMRCL and BMC assuring measures are being taken to avoid future incidents.

The Girgaon site is part of the Metro Line 3 development, an ambitious underground corridor connecting Colaba to SEEPZ via Bandra. Once completed, it will form a vital north–south transit link across Mumbai.