In a significant administrative action, the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Department (MMVD) has permanently revoked the driving licence of Sanjay More, the driver involved in a horrific BEST bus accident in Kurla that claimed nine lives and left forty injured in December 2024. The decision comes over a year after the tragic incident and coincidentally on the same day another serious bus accident occurred in Bhandup.
Delayed Justice for Kurla Tragedy
The revocation order was finally executed on Monday, following a protracted procedural battle. An MMVD official, speaking anonymously, confirmed the action, noting that a notice was physically served to More at Arthur Road Jail on December 12. The driver, who has been in jail since the accident, responded to the notice last week, leading the Wadala Regional Transport Office (RTO) to formally cancel his licence, citing the "seriousness of the incident."
The delay in revoking the licence was attributed to multiple factors. Authorities had sent three showcause notices to More's residential address, but all failed to be delivered. Furthermore, the legal requirement to provide the driver a chance to present his side caused additional hold-ups. More's son had also submitted a written request, urging officials to grant his father a hearing before any punitive action, a right enshrined in law.
A 25-Year Driving Career Ends Behind Bars
With this revocation, Sanjay More's transport-category driving licence, which he held for approximately 25 years, is now null and void, barring him from operating any vehicle. RTO records show his licence journey began on July 5, 1990, for light motor vehicles. He upgraded it to a heavy vehicle licence on August 8, 1991, authorizing him to drive trucks and buses.
More was employed by a third-party agency supplying drivers to EVEY Trans, a subsidiary of the e-bus manufacturer Olectra. Before this assignment, he had driven minibuses for BEST's wet-lease operators for about four years. He was assigned to drive the 12-metre-long electric bus from December 1, 2024, just days before the fatal crash on December 9.
Procedural Hurdles and Legal Framework
The process for revocation was initiated by the Mumbai police, who wrote to the Wadala RTO shortly after the accident, urging action given the severity of the case where the speeding bus struck multiple vehicles and pedestrians. The MMVD then moved under Section 19 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
RTO officials explained that the principle of natural justice mandated giving More an opportunity to be heard. In his written reply from jail, More pleaded that his licence should not be revoked as the charges against him were not yet proven in court. Despite this defence, the RTO considered the gravity of the accident and proceeded with the permanent revocation.
This belated action highlights the often slow wheels of administrative procedure, even in cases involving grave public safety. The revocation serves as a formal, albeit delayed, official response to a catastrophe that shook Mumbai over a year ago.
