Smoke Comes Out Of BEST's Electric Bus; Passengers Safe

A leased electric bus of the civic-run Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport undertaking (BEST) was evacuated in Byculla area, Mumbai on Tuesday afternoon after smoke was noticed coming out of its overhead battery.

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Mumbai: A leased electric bus of the civic-run Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport undertaking (BEST) was evacuated in Byculla area here on Tuesday afternoon after smoke was noticed coming out of its overhead battery, an official said.

All the passengers were safe, he said, adding that the bus was plying on route 126 and was on its way to Jijamata Udyan. The incident took place around 1.15 pm on Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road. 

The bus could have hit overhead portion of an under-construction bridge, a source said, adding that the exact cause of the smoke was yet to be ascertained. 

The bus was manufactured by Olectra, the same firm that had manufactured the bus involved in a major accident in Kurla earlier this month, the official said. 

BEST hires most of its e-buses on a wet-lease basis from private contractors. 

A fire brigade official said a fire engine was rushed to the spot on receiving a call. Further information was awaited. 

On September 30, a BEST bus from Dharavi depot plying on route 303 between Bandra Station (East) to Mulund (East) caught fire at Gandhi Nagar junction in Ghatkopar.