June 17, 2025: A public bus was dramatically rescued in South Mumbai on Monday morning after it became trapped in a road collapse near Thakurdwar Junction, underlining the city’s fragile infrastructure as the monsoon season approaches. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
The incident occurred around 9:25 am on Babasaheb Jaykar Marg. A Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus operating on Route 121, with only the driver and conductor on board, sank partially when the rear tyre fell into a sudden road cave-in. Eyewitnesses said the collapse occurred without warning.
Responding swiftly, BEST officials coordinated with Mumbai Metro Line 3 contractors to deploy a heavy-duty crane stationed nearby for metro construction. By 10:45 am, the bus was successfully lifted from the depression. Officials confirmed the bus sustained no major damage and returned to Backbay Depot by 11:00 am under its own power. The route was temporarily diverted but restored within hours after safety clearance.
The collapse has renewed concerns about Mumbai’s ageing infrastructure, particularly in dense and historic areas like South Mumbai. Experts attribute such incidents to soil erosion and water seepage from underground utilities — many of which are over a century old. Civic engineers are investigating whether leakage or unauthorised utility work may have triggered the subsidence.
The use of metro equipment in the rescue has sparked wider discussions around integrated infrastructure response and the importance of emergency readiness. Urban planners stress the need for proactive measures such as geo-mapping and AI-based monitoring to prevent future cave-ins.
With over 2,000 km of roads to manage, civic authorities face an urgent challenge: repairing not just the surface but public trust. As monsoon rains approach, the message is clear — resilience must be planned, not improvised.
Source: Urban Acres
