BEST bus earnings increase by 33 per cent

Officials from the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport  (BEST), on Friday, November 13, revealed that the department has witnessed an increase in the earning over the last two months. As per reports, BEST had recorded daily ticket sales of INR 1 crore in August 2020, and the same increased by 33 per cent in the last two months.

Currently, BEST has earned INR 1.5 crore in September and INR 2 crore in October. The information was shared a senior official from the department, who also stated that the team is expecting the earning to cross INR 3 crores in the pre-COVID times.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has currently permitted more than 4,800 buses to operate in the city, which has helped more than 23 lakh commuters. Out of all the buses, around 1,000 have been leased from the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). To ensure ease and smooth operations, BEST also launched a new project - Common Mobility Card - which allows commuters travel in three modes of transport only with the use of one card. As of now, the project is being tested on a pilot basis at two depots in Mumbai - Colaba and Wadala.

In a recent announcement, BEST also confirmed that the number of passengers travelling by buses in Mumbai also increased over the last few months. As per official records, BEST recorded the following number of passengers from June to November 2020.

• June - 8 lakh
• July - 9 lakh
• August - 10 lakh
• September - 18 lakh
• October - 21 lakh
• November (until 11th) - 23 lakh

BEST buses have been the only reliable mode of transport available for the general public during the coronavirus lockdown. During the initial months of the pandemic, BEST buses were running across the city for essential workers, and over the last few months, the government has allowed the general public to board the buses, as offices reopened and activities resumed under the 'Mission Begin Again' initiative. The services were initially run at a partial capacity, but observing long queues and increasing demand, BEST sought permission from the BMC and the government, and allowed the services with 100 per cent capacity, keeping the safety guidelines as a priority.