BEST levies ₹3-cr fine to pvt agency for keeping mini AC buses off roads

Wet-leased buses are owned by private contractors, who also appoint their drivers as well as take care of maintenance and insurance

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) levied a fine of ₹3 crore to a private agency on Saturday, two days after 280 mini air-conditioned BEST buses, that have been wet-leased from the private agency, went off the roads.

Mumbai, India - September 16, 2019 : City’s first batch of five air-conditioned (AC) mini buses which will be operated mostly on feeder routes — shorter routes that serve as last mile connectivity in the city. The buses have a seating capacity of 21 passengers and standing capacity of seven passengers. HT Photo (Hindustan Times)

Wet-leased buses are owned by private contractors, who also appoint their drivers as well as take care of maintenance and insurance.

While the BEST has several services running on wet-lease, some agencies are not providing services as per the contract. This has caused mini bus services to stop functioning in more than five depots in the city. As this is impacting passengers BEST has levied a ₹3 crore fine on MP group and companies.

“There is no disruption in the services. BEST has put in buses on these routes however the operator has been asked to rectify the defects and ensure full fleet is put in service at the earliest. As per contract for every bus that does not function a fine of ₹5000 per day is levied,” said Lokesh Chandra, general manager, BEST.

Chandra also added that the agency has been penalised to the amount of ₹3 crore by BEST. Staff stationed in these depots have conducted numerous flash strikes in the last few months due to non-payment of salaries.

“Gradually since mid-August the existing fleet has been downsizing as many of the buses lacked maintenance. Over a period of time the number of mini AC buses functioning also became fewer and the drivers who fall under the private agency are not given salaries. Every time we called for a strike; the contractor assured us that the dues would be paid. For the last few days, there has been no response from the management and the depot staff is also not available for a week,” said Raju Sule, driver under contract of MP group.

The BEST operates 317 mini AC buses on 42 routes. The buses are operated from five bus depots in Colaba, Wadala, Bandra, Oshiwara, and Dindoshi. The last mini bus that left the depot was on September 2.

The mini AC buses that were launched in September 2019 were initially introduced in south Mumbai. Seeing the popularity of the buses, the services were introduced from bus depots in other parts of the city as well.

The mini AC buses have a seating capacity of 21 and a standing capacity of seven. They were acquired on wet lease for seven years. The BEST union had earlier opposed wet-leasing of buses due to apprehensions that they would cut existing jobs.

Despite repeated attempts, the MP group was not reachable. Meanwhile, according to senior officials at BEST with hardly 21 seats in these mini buses, it was becoming a costly entity for the BEST as well.

Although the BEST has assured to run extra buses on emergency routes of these mini buses, passengers do get impacted as the frequency of these additional buses are poor. Moreover, the additional buses are also diverted on these routes by compromising other routes. Around 1390 buses in the BEST fleet run under wet lease.

Ganeshotsav revellers make use of BEST special services

BEST had started a special hop-on, hop-off bus service at night for Ganeshotsav this year. “On Saturday night, around 500 passengers have made use of these services while overall 4,000 passengers have used this service till now,” said Manoj Varade, public relations officer, BEST.

These services included open-deck double-decker services that could be availed at a pass of ₹60. This bus service was available on routes from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus to Wadala depot via Lalbaug and Dadar.