As Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) plans to add more than 4,500 buses in the next two years, it is planning to set up multi-storeyed parking lots inside its depots. This also comes at a time when the transport body aims to run 10,000 electric buses by 2027.
This idea is to ensure additional space for our fleet as BEST intends to increase it in the next few years.
Three depots have been shortlisted and a feasibility study is currently underway.
BEST has appointed International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank group, to conduct a detailed study on the available floor space index at these three depots, and the feasibility, revenue models and other parameters for constructing such parking areas.
These depots include Dindoshi, Bandra and Deonar. The three bus depots that have been identified can hold more than 475 buses and these multi-storeyed parking lots will almost double the capacity.
BEST officials said multi-storeyed parking lots would offer a solution since the existing smaller depots could not accommodate more buses and there was no space to build new depots.
The maximum parking capacity inside their 27 depots is for 3,941 buses. The satellite parking lots at bus stands, outside railway stations, and residential and commercial hubs can accommodate 511 buses.
To increase the fleet to 10,000 electric buses, BEST has placed orders for 2,100 single-decker AC e-buses and called tenders for another 2,400 while 900 AC double-decker e-buses are in the pipeline.
Currently, BEST’s fleet is at its lowest at 2,968 buses catering to around 31 lakh people every day. A decade ago, around 4,700 buses would ferry 45-47 lakh people daily.
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