23 May,2023 07:42 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. Aklekar
With the new additions, the BEST now has seven electric double-decker buses
The city's swank electric double-decker fleet is slowly swelling, with the recommendations and issues pointed out by citizens in the first set of buses taken into account and changes made accordingly on the new buses. The five new double-deckers arrived on Saturday, taking their total number to seven. These buses will be pressed into service this week.
BEST General Manager Lokesh Chandra confirmed the arrival of the buses and said changes suggested by Mumbaikars have been incorporated. "One of the key changes has been the removal of the seat next to the front staircase, which was leading to problems for commuters alighting from the upper deck," he said.
The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) currently operates the largest fleet of electric buses in India with 464 buses, including 56 premium buses. Officials said 50 per cent of the fleet will be electric by the end of this year and the entire fleet by 2026, with over 10,000 buses of all categories.
Also Read: BEST becomes official transport partner for G20 delegates in Mumbai
ALSO READ
‘Wasn’t given adequate training by authorities’
Major bus routes across city disrupted over minor reasons, activists cry foul
Kurla BEST bus crash: Driver claims he saw spark before he lost control of bus
Not providing enough training is peak irresponsibility
Experts call for change in holding those responsible for public accidents
The buses will be procured as a part of the National Clean Air Program (NCAP) of the Ministry of Environment, Government of India. Once operational, the move will help reduce 6.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions and save 6,000 million tonnes of fossil fuel. BEST stands to earn one carbon credit for every metric tonne of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere. The transport undertaking has created a roadmap to monetise these carbon credits with an estimated revenue of Rs 500 crore over a period of 10 years.
THE BEST announced that it had become the official transport partner for the G20 meetings in Mumbai from May 21 to May 23. It has deployed its newest premium electric buses for the event, which is fitting, given that the delegates belong to the environment and climate sustainability working group. "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 for this opportunity and will ensure comfortable and seamless mobility with our premium electric buses. We also hope that G20 delegates travelling in these buses will inspire Mumbaikars to try this service instead of using their cars," Chandra said. 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, serving both office and airport travellers. Their live location can be tracked on the Chalo App. Passengers can also reserve a seat on the bus using the app with flexible rescheduling and cancelling options. Currently, the premium bus service has over 7,000 daily passengers. BEST is confident that the number will continue to increase, given the convenience and comfort that the service provides.
