MUMBAI, June 4 -- From accidents and breakdowns to buses catching fire, BEST buses are in a dire condition today. According to BEST sources, in May itself, there were at least 10 different instances where BEST buses were involved in accidents; as for fatal accidents, 48 of these have been recorded in the last two years. The fatalities were more in the wet-lease buses hired by BEST, said a BEST official. "We are focusing on two aspects: preventive measures and inspection of technical problems," he said. "We have made a four-week training of wet-lease drivers on CNG and electric buses mandatory. We have also begun inspecting the CNG buses after the recent incidents of them catching fire." Sonia Sethi, general manager of BEST, said they had made the four weeks' training mandatory for all drivers despite wet-lease operators seeking a reduction in the duration. During a heated committee meeting on Tuesday, BEST officials stated that the four-week curriculum for contractual drivers was non-negotiable, aiming to instil technical familiarisation, safe handling and operational discipline in the drivers. Joint inspections are now being conducted by BEST alongside private operators at all 27 bus depots. BEST chairperson Trushna Vishwasrao pointed out a recent incident of driver incompetence that severely impacted BEST's image. "During a visit of the mayor, staffers were seen pushing a BEST bus, as the driver was struggling to restart it," she said. "I was told that he was starting it in first gear when it is known that vehicles should be started after applying first gear. The training of drivers needs to be strengthened." "We have begun issuing strict notices and levying penalties of Rs 10,000 per violation when defects are ignored," said another BEST official. "During the ongoing inspections, we found that there were 11 buses of wet-lease operators that had technical faults. These have now been taken off the roads." BEST panel member Ajay Singh, who has formally written to the general manager demanding an overhaul, pointed out that the frequent fires represented deep-seated negligence. "Incidents of fires, poor maintenance, and road accidents are rising unacceptably," he said. Recently, two buses were completely reduced to ashes at the Pratiksha Nagar depot after returning to the depot from ferrying school students to watch an IPL match. Notably, most of the buses catching fire are being operated by wet-lease contractors....