Mumbai: BEST conducts ticket checking, collects INR 40 lakh from ticketless passengers

BEST buses are known to be the lifeline of passengers on Mumbai's roads. Since BEST services have been added to Mumbai's east-west suburbs and at a distance from homes, the number of passengers traveling on BEST is higher due to its cheaper and faster service. However, many passengers don't buy tickets to save INR 5 to 25 on tickets. So they have to pay a fine ranging from INR 66 to INR 200. In the last three months, more than 64,000 ticketless passengers in BEST have been caught and fined INR 40 lakhs.

There are currently 2,916 buses in the fleet of the BEST initiative and 33 to 34 lakh passengers travel in them every day. While the number of bus passengers is increasing, the number of passengers traveling without tickets is increasing due to this crowding and the income is decreasing, BEST initiative observed. Therefore, from January 2024, BEST has decided to conduct a special ticket checking campaign against passengers traveling without tickets in BEST bus.

Under this initiative, BEST has appointed additional ticket inspectors at Mumbai's congested bus stands. In this team, a total of 382 inspectors were appointed to check tickets at different crowded places in Mumbai. Through this, 64,594 ticketless passengers were caught and a fine of INR 39.51 was collected from them in the three months from January to March.

Also Read: Mumbai: Byculla Bridge Might Be Ready By October

The minimum ticket price for air-conditioned travel of BEST is INR 6 to a maximum of INR 25. So, the minimum ticket price for a non-air-conditioned bus is INR 5 and the maximum is INR 20. But still many passengers travel without a ticket, when they see there is no conductor. The BEST initiative formed a ticket inspection team to identify such passengers.

At present, the BEST initiative levies a fine of 10 times the amount of travel fare plus passenger fare payable by passengers who travel without a ticket. If the fine is refused, legal action will be taken as per the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Act, information was given by the BEST initiative.