Surat: Several passengers trying to board a BRTS bus near Parvat Patiya in Surat narrowly escaped a potentially fatal accident on Monday morning.The accident occurred around 9.15am at Parvat Patiya BRTS station. A group of commuters was attempting to board an already overcrowded bus operated by JBM Ecolife Mobility Surat Pvt Ltd on the ONGC-Sarthana Nature Park route. According to officials, several passengers were hanging near the entrance when the bus began moving.As the vehicle pulled away, some passengers lost their balance and fell onto the road. An elderly man suffered the most dangerous situation when his hand became trapped in the automatically operated doors. Unable to free himself, he fell while his hand remained caught between the doors. The bus was stopped shortly afterwards, preventing what could have been a far more serious injury.After the accident, the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) blacklisted the driver and imposed a Rs 1 lakh penalty on the bus operator.The SMC termed the incident “extremely serious” and said negligence in bus operations, particularly during passenger boarding at BRTS stations, is unacceptable under any circumstances. The corporation said strict action would be taken whenever passenger safety is compromised and that accountability would be fixed on both drivers and operating agencies.Against an estimated requirement of nearly 3,000 buses, the city currently operates only 775, with several remaining off the roads due to maintenance and other issues. In addition, multiple routes have been suspended because of ongoing infrastructure and development works. With no robust alternative public transport network available, many residents are forced to rely on private vehicles, contributing to rising traffic congestion, pollution and road accidents.On June 26, a 56-year-old tailor had lost his left leg after a BRTS bus shut the door while he was boarding and drove off, dragging him for several metres in the Puna area.
