16 June,2025 05:23 PM IST | Mumbai | Eshanpriya MS
Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the incident. Sameer Abedi
A portion of the road near Thakurdwar signal in Girgaon caved in on Monday morning, trapping the rear left wheel of a BEST bus.
The incident occurred around 9:30 a.m. as the Route No. 121 bus (Bus No. 6232) from Backbay Depot was on its way to J. Mehta Marg.
The cave-in happened at a spot where metro construction work is currently underway.
A Metro Line 3 crane (MH01 EN-0039) stationed nearby lifted the stuck bus at 10:45 AM, and the bus was sent back to Backbay Depot by 11:00 AM.
"Water ingress was observed in the basement pit of the proposed Girgaon rehabilitation building, likely due to a nearby utility leakage. This seems to have caused ground loss, forming a cavity that was not visible on the surface. In the morning, one tyre of a BEST bus sank in this area, which was retrieved shortly later. MMRCL is actively coordinating with BMC officials to trace and address any leakages from the water main, sewer main, or storm water drain (SWD) network. Necessary measures are being taken to reinstate the affected road section at the earliest and to prevent any recurrence," MMRCL said in a statement.
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No one was injured in the incident, and the bus did not suffer major damage. Although the bus had stalled at the location, it was still operational.
Due to the incident, from 09:45 AM, the route for Bus No. 121 was diverted as follows:
Up Direction: Kalaniketan - right turn - Metro - left turn - JSS Road - right at Thakurdwar Junction - continue on designated route.
Down Direction: Thakurdwar Junction - right turn - JSS Road - Girgaon Church - left turn - Rajaram Mohan Roy Road - Charushila Gupte Chowk - left turn - M.K. Road - then follow the regular route.
The BMC control room confirmed the development, adding that further details are awaited as officials assess the situation.
Back in April, mid-day had reported that Mumbai resembled a chaotic treasure hunt, with almost every street and bylane dug up for road concreting, Metro work, utility repairs, or long-neglected infrastructure projects that had suddenly resurfaced. In many parts of the city, roads were freshly concreted only to be dug up again to lay amenities that were previously overlooked.
Officials monitoring the works claim there's "method in the madness," and that small stretches are being taken up one at a time. But the sheer scale of this operation is taking a massive toll on citizens, from walkers and motorists to the elderly and disabled.
Emergency vehicles are forced to take long diversions, delaying response times.
In many areas, hospital access roads are dug up with no viable alternative routes. Despite the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, which mandates accessible infrastructure, Mumbai's footpaths and streets remain largely non-compliant. For the city's 4 lakh-plus disabled residents, navigating this mess has become nearly impossible.
Experts say the lack of underground ducting for utilities is a key issue. Explaining the rationale behind the project, officials said that due to Mumbai's heavy rainfall, traditional asphalt roads frequently develop potholes. In contrast, concrete roads last for at least 20 years, whereas asphalt roads typically last up to five years. Moreover, repairing potholes during the monsoon adds to maintenance costs.
