BEST Bachao movement: Citizens to stand with QR code placards to save fleet
The members also spoke of the difficulties faced by students due to the shrinking fleet of buses across the city: “Students are forced to board crowded buses."
Mumbai: Three days after the unions announced the launch of BEST Bachao, a people’s movement to revive its shrinking fleet in the city, 40 core members along with citizens attended its first meeting on Thursday to discuss the future course of action to save the public utility.
Starting next week, members of the BEST Bachao movement will stand with placards outside colleges, railway stations, bus stops, depots, markets etc. to draw the public’s attention to various issues that plague the undertaking and to eventually mount pressure on BMC and the state government to act.
The members, affiliated with various NGOs, student unions, and retail shop owners, will promote this campaign across Mumbai.
“We do not need any political support and want this to be purely a people’s movement that would sustain for another 3-4 months. There will be placards with a QR code which people can scan and learn about various issues faced by BEST,” said Shashank Sharad Rao, convenor, of BEST Bachao.
The members also spoke of the difficulties faced by students due to the shrinking fleet of buses across the city. “Students are forced to board crowded buses to reach colleges. We will stand outside colleges and speak to students to seek their support,” said Sachin Bansode, a student leader who uses BEST buses from Worli.
The QR-coded placards will talk about the issues faced by BEST in three languages that citizens can browse through. There will also be a suggestion form on which citizens can raise their views regarding BEST and what needs to be done by the government to save it.
“Gradually, we want Mumbaikars to come forth and support our movement. BEST played a crucial role during Covid-19 as it was the only mode of transit which was operational when even local trains weren’t running. But now the situation is bleak and by November next year there will barely be 250 odd buses owned by the Undertaking,” added Rao.
The other members of the campaign wet lease operators are unreliable in running BEST buses. Just over a year ago, a wet lease operator with over 200 buses backed out of operation owing to issues with BEST administration.
“The staff are unable to reach shops on time. Not only are the trains crowded but even buses are now far and few. Our trader association is in support of this campaign to save BEST,” said Arvind Savla, who is a retail shop owner from Goregaon.
Currently, BEST has a fleet of 3,153 buses catering to 30-32 lakh passengers every day.