A special drive to combat ticketless travel on buses was carried out by the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST). Under this drive, they caught 945 passengers travelling ticketless and apprehended them.
The special drive was initiated at the beginning of the new year. It stands out as the biggest crackdown against ticketless travellers since COVID-19 times. BEST officials stated that the undertaking's vigilant efforts led to the identification and fining of these 945 individuals who were found boarding and deboarding buses without valid tickets.
Officials further added that after seeing the results, they are planning to continue this drive in the future too.
BEST checking squad increased to curb ticketless travel in buses. Commuters requested to buy tickets, Validate bus passes and mobile tickets while travelling in bus. pic.twitter.com/RNZsAIagXF
— BEST Bus Transport (@myBESTBus) January 4, 2024
BEST’s Fine Collection:
The operation has significant financial ramifications because BEST was able to collect an enormous fine of INR 58,457 from the passengers who were detained. This sum is eight times greater than the average daily penalty of INR 7,000 that was seen before the start of the special initiative.
To show how serious this campaign is, BEST has sent out a large squad of 382 inspectors who check tickets. To guarantee thorough coverage, these inspectors are positioned strategically along busy roads throughout Mumbai and its surrounding areas.
Following the rules of the drive, BEST will charge a passenger ten times the normal fee if they are discovered to be travelling without a valid ticket. Section 460(H) of the Mumbai Municipal Act, 1988 stipulates that failure to pay this fine may have legal repercussions. The possible types of penalties are an INR 200 fine, one month in jail, or both.
The civic transport organisation, which runs a fleet of about 3,000 buses, is in charge of providing public bus services in Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, and Mira-Bhayandar. These buses are a mode of travel for around 32 lakh to 35 lakh passengers throughout the city every day.
Now, in 2024, BEST is also planning to increase the number of buses. Many BEST-owned buses are nearing the end of their lifespan, as a vehicle can run on the road for only 20 years. This has resulted in a decrease in the number of buses on the road. Hence, the decision to increase the fleet size was taken. The tender process for the new buses has already been completed. BEST currently operates a fleet of 2978 buses, including 1684 air-conditioned buses that have been taken on lease. After the local train network, BEST is the most heavily used public transport system in Mumbai.
By 2025, BEST intends to expand its fleet to 19,662 units. Nonetheless, the choice was made to add 3200 buses in 2024. BEST officials stated that running a bus that is owned by BEST costs INR 193.64 per kilometre, while running a vehicle that is leased costs INR 120. Due to this cost difference, BEST is now planning on leasing more buses.
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