BEST stops to show when bus will arrive

If the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) executes its proposal properly, bus commuters in Mumbai will soon be able to see the estimated arrival time (EAT) of a bus, at the bus stop.

If the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) executes its proposal properly, bus commuters in Mumbai will soon be able to see the estimated arrival time (EAT) of a bus, at the bus stop.

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The undertaking is working on a proposal to display the expected arrival time for buses on electronic panels, to be installed at each of the bus stops.

The system will be used first at 50 bus stops on an experimental basis and if successful, will be set up at all 5,000 bus stops across Mumbai.

The system will work with the help of an antenna fitted on the bus stop that will transmit a signal from the bus control room to the bus stop, which will be displayed on the panel.

The undertaking is also working on a vehicle tracking system that will assist in identifying the exact position of a bus in traffic. Currently the GPRS system is installed in 20 buses.

The antenna, electronic panels and other spare parts are expected to arrive by June, which will be fitted at 50 bus stops in first phase.

The administration is also planning to expand the Passenger Announcement System (PAS) currently functioning only at Wadala depot. The PAS was started in March 2012 through which commuters in the bus are informed about the next bus stop.

The undertaking will soon expand its functioning in other depots like Worli, Bandra, Santacruz, Mulund, Marol and Pratikshanagar. “As of now, it’s functional in 98 buses of Wadala Depot buses,” NA Walawalkar, Public Relations Officer, BEST.