Mumbai lockdown: 900 BEST buses set to be scrapped

135 single-deckers were scrapped during lockdown. Pic/Arpan Mitra

BEST, your buses are dying. With more and more buses on hire, BEST's own bus fleet is dwindling. While around 150 buses, including 15 double deckers, have been scrapped in the lockdown period of past four months, 900 more, including 60 double deckers are lined up for scrap next year.

"We have raised a red flag, and shot off a petition to the BEST management. They should take this up seriously before it is too late in the day to realise. This is an appeal from us bus lovers to intervene at the right time to save the buses from the scrap torch," bus enthusiast Harshad Joshi, who has sent off an "earnest appeal" to the BEST Undertaking this week, told Mid-Day.

"In a city like Mumbai, vertical growth of transport, just like sky-scrapers, is equally important. That is why maintaining double deckers, especially with social distancing etc in these pandemic and post-pandemic times will be very important, another fan Ninad Kabale said.

BEST has about 120 double-deckers in its fleet currently. File pic

Giving a rough estimate, another fan said about 100 buses of series numbers 3001-3100, about 644 buses of the series 2001-2644, 73 buses of series numbers 8740-8813, 13 buses from series numbers 7988 to 8000 and 59 double deckers between series numbers 4900-4958 will be scrapped between May 2021. This makes a total 889 buses lined up for the scrap torch. This is in addition to the about 150 buses already scrapped in the past four months of lockdown.

"The iconic BEST double deck fleet is about 120 and if sixty buses are scrapped from this, half the fleet remains. This will be sad and we cannot see this happening with our own eyes. There are several other single decker buses too that are set to retire by May 2021 and there needs to be a sincere appeal to save those buses," he added.

Kabale said the BEST will just scrap these iconic double decker buses and replace them with midis and minis giving reasons. "If they are scrapping a double decker, they should replace it with a double decker. If they are scrapping a single decker, they should replace it with a single decker. They were trying to replace then Mini and Midi buses which is unfair."

"I agree that the BEST has to abide by RTO rules. But in the case of an ongoing pandemic when need for buses is more. than earlier, such rules can be kept on hold for sometime and the buses be made safe and fit for running. The difference between reduction of pollution due to new buses incoming is not documented anywhere. Small buses arent half price.. or half as fuel efficient than the big ones," said another bus fan Akbar Merchant.

Kabale the pandemic has shown us that Mumbai is more than capable of running double decker on long routes in addition to existing routes. And logic of maintenance doesn't hold true as double decker has a full load capacity of more than 100 but consumes road space less than 2 mini buses. To match the capacity of a double decker, one needs 5-6 minis which are taken on lease," he said.

While BEST administration does not respond to media queries, senior BEST committee member Sunil Ganacharya agreed. "The BEST needs more buses and every attempt should be made to save those buses in these times. Either the government should intervene and get it blanket permission or the RTO should extend its fitness certificate. The only thing that must be seen is that these buses are safe and fit to run. The wet-leases buses are not proving of much help. Passengers keep waiting at bus stops and these buses keep waiting at depots. What is their use?"

Shashank Sharad Rao, convener, BEST Workers Joint Action Committee said that it is legally binding upon the BEST to maintain a certain number if buses in its fleet as per a memorandum of undertaking (MoU) signed with us. "When we gave consent for the wet-leasing of buses, there were certain mandatory clauses. The deal was that at any point in time, the BEST must have a fleet of 3,337 own, self-owned buses. For every bus scrapped, the BMC will fund a new bus. This MoU has been backed by BMC with a signed document," he told Mid-Day.

Also Read: BEST has blacked out data on number of dead and infected: Trade union leader Shashank Rao

150

Total buses scrapped in lockdown

59
No. of double-deckers to be scrapped by May 2021

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