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BEST ferries over 14L commuters since launch of Mission Begin Again
More than 14 lakh commuters availed Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus services in three days after they resumed operations as a part of the state’s
More than 14 lakh commuters availed Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus services in three days after they resumed operations as a part of the state’s Mission Begin Again on Monday.
The transport agency also increased the number of buses operating on 81 routes in the city. An additional 348 buses were added to the fleet by Wednesday. It operated 2,480 buses on Thursday in the city. BEST had introduced buses by allowing only 30 passengers – 25 seating and five standing – per bus.
On Wednesday it also started operation of Tejaswini buses for women commuters from its Vikhroli bus depot. Two buses are being operated during peak hours from Vikhroli to Backbay bus depot.
The management stated that it plans to increase the number of buses in the coming days. “The number of buses is being increased after seeing the response from passengers. Our traffic officers and field inspectors provide us with daily on ground reports,” said Manoj Varade, spokesperson, BEST.
On Monday, the first day of Mission Begin Again, BEST started operating 2,132 buses in the city and saw a ridership of 4.19 lakh passengers.
On Tuesday, the organisation operated 2,308 buses and witnessed a ridership of 4.73 lakh passengers and on Wednesday, 2,433 buses were operated with a ridership of 5.26 lakh passengers.
Meanwhile, BEST Sanyukt Kamgar Kruti Samiti (BKKS), an umbrella body of BEST unions, started silent protests outside bus depots in the city from Thursday. The protests – against employees facing disciplinary action and charge sheets issued by the administration for not coming to work – will continue outside depots till July 13.
“The administration has been issuing charge sheets to its 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,” said Shashank Rao, president, BSKKS.
The union has also demanded the creation of a temporary coronavirus hospital for the BEST employees.
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