BEST’S PLAN TO HIRE 993 NEW BUSES GETS THUMBS DOWN

MUMBAI: The cash-strapped Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) has plans to hire 993 new buses by March 2020 to increase number of commuters, but not everyone is happy about the project.

BEST committee members, while discussing the budget 2019-20, criticised the move calling it a ‘pointless’ addition to the budget. Citing the delay and ongoing court stay on hiring of buses, members said that the next budget will be presented by the time the new buses are delivered.

While discussing the ₹ 720.5 crore deficit budget for 2019-20 on Thursday, BEST proposed to procure 993 new buses, including 441 CNG (compressed natural gas) buses, 400 mini AC and non-ac buses, 80 electric AC and non-ac buses, and 72 mid-sized AC and non-ac buses, by March 2020. The new buses are to be hired on a wet lease, in which the contractor is responsible for the driver’s pay and maintenance of the vehicles.

Surendrakumar Bagde, general manager of BEST, said, “We want to reduce the waiting time of buses to three to four minutes which can be achieved by increasing the number of buses. Also, mini buses with shorter routes give quicker service and we have experimented with this at Dadar. Increasing the number of buses will help improve the frequency as well as increase the number of commuters that we have lost to share taxis.”

Shrikant Kavthankar, BEST committee member, said, “There are several other ways through which the BEST can increase the ridership. We are not against the hiring of new buses, however, if the buses are going to be delivered by the next budget presentation, it is pointless to include their cost and profit in the upcoming budget.”

Kavthankar also alleged that the budget estimates since 2013 are bogus as the details given by the departments to calculate the budget are inaccurate.