Mumbai: BEST cracks down on ticketless travellers

If a passenger is caught without a valid ticket, the BEST imposes a fine equivalent to ten times the regular fare. File pic

Finally realising its mistake, the loss-making BEST undertaking has deployed an additional staff of 382 ticket-checking inspectors to crack down on ticketless travellers on its buses. They caught about 945 passengers in a single day on January 2, levying a fine of Rs 58,457. This is one of the biggest checking drives since COVID-19.

There were more complaints of ticketless passengers in conductor-less buses as tickets are only provided at the originating point. Conductorless buses started on select routes in October 2019, later expanding to more routes. An article by mid-day in November 2021 highlighted how this was leading to losses for the BEST, with commuters visiting bus depots to pay for tickets.

"During the hay days in the early part of the 21st century, the monthly earnings from ticketless travellers on BEST buses used to be Rs 25-30 lakh, which has now dipped to nearly Rs 5 to 6 lakh. We realised that despite increasing numbers of passengers, the income from tickets had not increased, indicating a possible rise in ticketless passengers. Hence, the drive was taken up. Bus inspectors have now been deployed in civil dress and in uniform, checking tickets of passengers across crowded bus stops and inside buses in the MMR region," said a BEST official.

"The revenue earned due to raids and penalties is eight times more than earlier drives, and we intend to sustain the drive. We appeal to citizens to ride on the buses with proper tickets," he added. The BEST operates buses in Navi Mumbai, Thane, and Mira Bhayandar and has a fleet of around 3,000+ buses. These buses transport between 32 lakh to 35 lakh passengers across the city daily.

If a passenger is caught without a valid ticket, the BEST imposes a fine equivalent to ten times the regular fare. Refusal to pay can result in legal consequences under section 460(H) of the Mumbai Municipal Act, 1988. Penalties may include imprisonment for up to one month, a fine of Rs 200, or a combination of both.

"The administration is losing huge revenue by implementing unwanted schemes like tap in tap out, conductorless buses, and ground booking. Concerned officials should be held accountable, and the total loss should be recovered from their pockets by conducting an audit. For now, it would be useful for BEST to run its own buses, with its own staff. Along with this, it's necessary to change the ticket and parking rates," said Rupesh Shelatkar, president, Aapli BEST Aaplyasathi. BEST spokesperson Sunil Vaidya did not respond to calls or messages for more details.

Rs 58,457
Amount collected in fine in a single day