4.19 lakh passengers travelled by BEST bus on Day 1 of Mission Begin Again

Four lakh nineteen thousand passengers commuted on buses run by the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking on Monday, Day 1 of Mission Begin

Four lakh nineteen thousand passengers commuted on buses run by the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking on Monday, Day 1 of Mission Begin Again, when the bus services resumed after the lockdown. BEST earned ₹40.44 lakh from ticket sales on Monday. Only 30 passengers, including five standing, are allowed on a bus.

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BEST operated an additional 176 buses on Tuesday. Altogether, around 2308 buses plied on 81 routes in the city. However, long queues at bus stands were reported on Tuesday along with violations of distancing norms.

“I had to wait for half an hour to get a bus. There were long queues and there were people waiting for one hour. Frequency of buses should be increased.” said Abhijeet Bhosale, a Ghatkopar resident whose office is in Vikhroli.

The administration plans to operate additional buses. However, of the 4,335 conductors and 4,126 bus drivers expected to report for duty, only 1,992 conductors and 2,024 bus drivers turned up on Monday.

BEST Sanyukt Kamgar Kruti Samiti (BSKKS), an umbrella body of BEST unions, has said silent protests will be held June 11 onwards outside bus depots in the city because employees have faced disciplinary actions and charge sheets (issued by BEST administration).

“The administration is issuing charge sheets to its own employees without considering or understanding the situation. Few employees are residing in containment zones and others do not have proper means of transport to reach their workplace. We will begin a silent protest from June 11 outside every bus depot in the city,” said Shashank Rao, president, BSKKS.

The union has also asked the administration to make a temporary hospital for Covid-positive employees at Wadala bus depot or Dindoshi traffic training centre.

Citizen group Mumbai Mobility Forum (MMF) has written to BEST administration with suggestions to reduce overcrowding.

“We can have two shifts for all offices including [those in] Mantralaya, Bandra Kurla Complex, Nariman Point and Ballard Estate. This will reduce crowding. A simple solution is by putting school buses in action along with a return trip in the morning to cater to commuters. We can run one makeshift bus lane with paint. It has worked in Bengaluru,” said Ashok Datar of MMF.