Mumbai: BEST to induct two more AC double-decker e-buses into fleet

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Moving a step forward with its air-conditioned double-decker electric buses services, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking's (BEST) will soon add two more air-conditioned double-decker electric buses to its fleet, an official told the PTI on Saturday.

The new e-buses arrived at the BEST's Anik depot earlier this week and are likely to be inducted into service next week once the vehicle registration process is completed, the official said.

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The BEST is currently plying two air-conditioned double-decker e-buses in Mumbai, which were introduced in February and March.

The transport authority had earlier assured that 20 such buses would arrive in the city by March-end.

According to BEST sources, three more double-decker e-buses will be brought in soon and as the serial production has begun, the city will get new buses every month, reported the PTI.

The manufacturing company has made some changes in the interiors of the new buses, though there are no visible changes in the exteriors, an official told the PTI.

The BEST has around 3,200 single and double-decker buses and the fleet size is reducing fast, as older buses are getting scrapped every month, he said.

More than 500 buses are scheduled to go under hammer till March end and hence, the transport authority desperately needs new high-capacity buses to meet the passenger demand.

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The BEST has been concentrating on betterment of travel experience for the passengers.

Recently, a fleet of the newly acquired buses had arrived in the city. The BEST have been planning a whole new experience for the passengers with the introduction of AC double-decker e-buses in the city.

The BEST officials had recently also conducted a travel study on various Metro corridors. The BEST has also worked on earlier and how it impacted the ridership to grow from 22.5 lakhs to 35 lakhs.

According to the officials, the data of the study shows that in Mumbai, 85 per cent of people travel by bus for approximately up to seven kilometers and then to travel beyond 12 km, there are hardly two to three per cent commuters. Based on the data and travel pattern, the officials did the route reservation where they either reduced the waiting time or they have improved the frequency from 45 mins-1 hour waiting time on some routes now bringing down the time to less than 20 minutes. This year, by deploying 7,000 buses, the waiting time on all the routes across the city will be reduced to less than 10 minutes, the officials had earlier said.

(with PTI inputs)