21 May,2023 12:51 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Pic/BEST
The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking will be the official transport partner for the G20 meetings in Mumbai from May 21 to 23, 2023. According to the BEST officials, they have deployed its newest premium electric buses for the G20 event in the city, which will transport the delegates belonging to the Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group.
Lokesh Chandra, general manager, BEST said, "It is a proud moment for BEST to become the first City Transport Utility in India to be the official partner for transportation for G20 delegates. We thank the Government of India and the Maharashtra government for giving us this opportunity to ferry the G20 delegates. We will ensure comfortable and seamless mobility for them with our premium electric buses. We also hope that G20 delegates traveling in these buses will inspire Mumbaikars to try this service instead of using their cars."
The luxury electric AC buses ferrying the delegates are part of an app-based premium service launched by BEST recently. They ply along multiple routes in the city like Thane - BKC, and Kharghar-Airport, which serves both office and airport travellers.
Also Read: IN PHOTOS: BEST to introduce more AC double-decker e-buses in Mumbai
Presently, the premium bus service has over 7,000 daily passengers. BEST officials stated that they are confident that the number will continue to increase given the convenience and comfort that the service provides. BEST is currently operating the largest fleet of electric buses in India with 464 buses including 56 premium buses.
The BEST fleet will become 50 per cent electric by the end of this year and by 2026 Mumbai City will have a 100 per cent electric bus fleet with 10,000 buses. These buses have been procured as a part of the National Clean Air Program (NCAP) of the Ministry of Environment, Government of India.
Once operational, the premium buses will help reduce 6.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions and save 6000 million tonnes of fossil fuel. For every metric tonne of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere, BEST stands to earn one carbon credit. BEST has created a roadmap to monetise these carbon credits with an
estimated revenue of â¹500 crores over a period of 10 years.