The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus fleet may shrink from 1,094 to 761 by 2024 if no new buses are bought. By the end of 2025, it could drop to just 251 buses.
This would be only 8% of the 3,337 buses the transport body had agreed to maintain in a 2019 agreement with unions.
On Monday, July 15, BEST workers' union leader Shashank Rao shared this statistic while speaking to the media about this issue. He also announced the "BEST Bachao" campaign to increase the number of buses owned by BEST.
Rao warned that BEST's fleet might run out of buses by 2027 if no new purchases are made. This would affect the careers of current drivers. The campaign seeks support from organisations and NGOs that advocate for bus commuters.
To gather support, the campaign will hold three public gatherings and engage with the general public. Public awareness campaigns, rallies, and signature drives are also planned.
Rao emphasised the broken promises made by the management. Over the last five years, the fleet has decreased by 67%. In recent years, BEST has not bought any new buses. Instead, they have contracted to purchase new buses on a wet lease.
As per reports, BEST has plans to buy its own buses. They have proposed a funding request of INR 3,419 crore to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to purchase 2,237 buses.
It has been highlighted that a self-owned fleet is reliable due to skilled drivers and regular maintenance. In contrast, drivers of contractual buses are less experienced. Several accidents have also involved these drivers recently.
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