BEST to discontinue operations for essential service staff

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) will stop the operation of dedicated buses for employees working on essential duty. The organisation operated

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) will stop the operation of dedicated buses for employees working on essential duty. The organisation operated a few buses only towards hospitals and police stations for the employees.

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The decision has been taken after the resumption of local train services on Central and Western railway. Around 600 dedicated buses will be stopped and introduced on other routes including feeder routes in the city.

“The buses operating for employees working in hospitals, police stations and other essential staff will be discontinued gradually. Buses will be introduced on feeder routes,” said Manoj Varade, spokesperson of BEST.

BEST officials have stated that there has been a demand of buses on feeder routes. “As the trains have started functioning, demand for buses from railway stations has increased. Connecting buses will be increased over the next week,” said a senior BEST official.

BEST had introduced 2,132 buses operating on 82 routes in the city for essential service staff under state government’s Mission Begin Again. The buses were introduced on June 8.

More than 14 lakh passengers travelled in the first three days after the buses were introduced in the city. Over 30 passengers were allowed inside one bus; 25 seated and five standing.

Several instances of violation of social distancing norms were witnessed in the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) buses.