BEST does route safety recces for AC double-decker buses

BEST officials said that of the 19 AC double-deckers, 10 in the first phase would be operated between Bandra (E) and Kurla (W) via BKC to cater to the commercial hub. In the next phase, nine double-deckers will be operated on the Andheri (E)-Marol-Seepz routes. This was the same route on which the last non-AC double decker bus ran before it was retired in September

Mumbai: While Mumbai’s suburbs await air-conditioned double-decker e-buses, the BEST undertaking is busy surveying the safety of the routes where these will run by identifying potentially harmful tree branches, speed breakers and height barriers installed on roads. Once this is over, the double-deckers will be put into service on various BKC and Andheri (E) routes in the next fortnight.

Sunil Ganacharya, former BEST committee member said that BEST could have carried out the tests while the AC double-decker buses were being procured. “They could have simply run their existing buses and identified the issues if any,” he said. “This is a sheer waste of time” (HT PHOTO)

BEST officials said that of the 19 AC double-deckers, 10 in the first phase would be operated between Bandra (E) and Kurla (W) via BKC to cater to the commercial hub. In the next phase, nine double-deckers will be operated on the Andheri (E)-Marol-Seepz routes. This was the same route on which the last non-AC double decker bus ran before it was retired in September.

BEST officials said they were checking for vertical obstructions on the identified routes before making them operational. “We are looking for trees and hanging branches and whether the height of bridges is too close among other things,” said an official. When asked why this exercise was not done when the buses were being procured, officials said a dry run was initially done with other buses. “But since the AC double-deckers, at 4.75 metres, are slightly taller than the non-AC ones, some ground clearances were required to be reconfirmed,” said the official. Initially, when BEST was carrying out trials of one AC double-decker, tree branches damaged the front window of the upper deck.

Sunil Ganacharya, former BEST committee member said that BEST could have carried out the tests while the AC double-decker buses were being procured. “They could have simply run their existing buses and identified the issues if any,” he said. “This is a sheer waste of time.”

Ravi Raja, former BEST committee member, called it mismanagement on the part of the BEST administration. “What route survey is being conducted now?” he asked. “They knew that more AC double-deckers would join their fleet. All this should have been done beforehand.”

BEST will procure 200 AC double-decker e-buses from Switch Mobility, which has already delivered 39 e-buses. The remaining buses will come by March 2024. Similarly, Harit Mobility will supply 700 AC double-decker e-buses, of which 50 will be delivered by December, 100 e-buses every month from January to June 2024 and the balance 50 buses in July. Thus 900 AC double-decker e-buses, to be operated from 12 bus depots, will arrive in nine months.