Mumbai: After scrapping its air-conditioned bus services in April, the BEST now plans to revive the services with private AC buses, as it can’t afford to purchase its own vehicles.
The transport undertaking will also hire non-AC buses from private contractors. General Manager Surendrakumar Bagde said, “We are trying to get 400 mini-buses, including 200 AC buses, on wet lease from private parties for seven years. We are also trying to add 50 standard-size buses and 350 wheelchair-accessible buses to our fleet. We have already floated tenders for this, and once approved by the BEST committee, the AC buses will be on the roads within the next three months.”
The routes and ticket prices for these buses will be determined by BEST. “These will be conductor-less buses, and drivers will be provided by private contractors. These buses will increase flexibility in our operations and help us bring in efficiency in our services,” Mr. Bagde said. The proposal cites lower employee wages and operational costs as the rationale to hire the buses from private agencies.
How it will work
Each bus will have an electronic ticket vending machine, from which commuters will be expected to take their own tickets. The rates will as per the standard set by the Association of State Road Transport Undertaking, and will be increased by 2.5% every year after the second year of operation.
BEST will pay the operator for every kilometre travelled, and the rates will have no bearing on the passenger traffic plied on that route.
According to the proposal, BEST will arrange week-long training sessions for the private bus drivers — who will be between the ages of 21 and 58 — before they drive the buses.
The private buses, which will be in the traditional BEST red, will be allowed to park in the BEST yards. But they will have to pay for the use of electricity and water for cleaning. Periodic maintenance and even breakdown of vehicles will be handled by the contractors.
In case of accidents, the contractors will have to handle all litigation and compensations arising out of it. They will be fined ₹5,000 if they are unable to provide vehicles to BEST, except in cases of bandhs and strikes, floods or ‘acts of god’.
The contractors will also have to contribute towards the provident funds and other such benefits for their staff members. A BEST official said, “The Maharashtra State Transport and the Pune public transport have similarly taken help of private contractors to increase their operations. There is nothing wrong in this.”
MMRDA vehicles
The Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority is providing 25 air-conditioned buses to the BEST. “These vehicles will ply on the Bandra-Kurla routes. As part of this deal, about five vehicles have been procured so far, and are currently undergoing registration procedures,” a BEST official said.
