‘BMC should help BEST procure 200 double-deckers’

Some of the double deckers lined up for scrap at Anik bus depot

After being appointed as the chairman of the BEST undertaking, Shiv Sena leader Ashish Chemburkar issued one of his first directives to procure about 200 double-decker buses. Chemburkar has been elected as the BEST chairman for the fifth time in the past two decades.

"Double-decker buses have been like an identity of the BEST Undertaking. They have an important place in the city's history. Mumbai's heritage should not be lost and hence I have issued directives to procure not 100, but 200 new double-decker buses. Even the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) should provide financial assistance to the undertaking for this," Chemburkar said in his address note.

As of today, BEST has placed orders for 100 automatic transmission Bharat Standard VI class, non-AC double-decker buses with automatic doors.

At the same time, the undertaking is also legally binding to maintain a fleet of 3,337 buses as agreed in the memorandum of undertaking signed with the BMC and trade unions on June 11, 2019.

Chemburkar further said that the undertaking needed to come up with ways and out-of-the-box ideas to improve its financial condition. He said that several of BEST's plots were locked in legal disputes and if the undertaking could mediate in such cases, it would earn profit in crores of rupees. He added that on the electricity front, the BEST would try and make efforts to maintain steady power supply during monsoon and avoid power cuts.

100
No. of double deckers BEST has ordered till date