MUMBAI: The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking’s newly appointed 16-member committee took oath on Monday, marking the first full panel in four years, and signalled that reviving the city’s shrinking bus fleet will be its top priority.
Committee chairperson Trushna Vishwasrao told Hindustan Times that discussions are already under way with the state government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to secure substantial funding in the civic budget scheduled for February 25. The panel’s first meeting is expected on February 26.
Vishwasrao said the committee would focus on augmenting BEST’s owned fleet and expanding routes, while examining why 7-metre mini buses are no longer part of regular operations.
“We will review the reasons why the 7-metre mini buses are no longer in the fleet and explore how manufacturers can make such models viable again. We also intend to increase BEST’s owned fleet to 3,337 buses, as promised to unions. For this, we are in talks with the state government and the BMC,” she said.
The 7-metre buses were introduced around eight to ten years ago through wet-lease operators, primarily to connect railway stations with nearby residential and commercial hubs. Officials said the smaller buses were easier to manoeuvre on congested roads and in busy areas outside stations.
However, a senior BEST official pointed out that recent electric bus procurements are largely based on models offered by manufacturers, which are typically 9-metre and 12-metre buses. “The current electric bus models make it difficult to reintroduce smaller 7-metre buses, even though they are better suited for narrow and crowded roads,” the official said.
Committee members also confirmed that they are in discussions with deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde and civic authorities to mobilise funds from both the state and the Centre for expanding BEST’s owned fleet.
At present, BEST directly operates only 249 buses out of a total fleet of 2,767, with the rest run through wet-lease operators.
Vishwasrao also flagged the need for dedicated parking spaces, saying depots and city land are under pressure.
“A large amount of space is being used for bus parking. We need separate parking facilities. It is equally important to integrate BEST with Metro, Monorail and suburban railway services to make public transport seamless and efficient,” she added.
Apart from fleet expansion, the committee has promised to address the welfare of retired BEST employees. Unions claim that around ₹450 crore in gratuity and pension dues remain unpaid.