Over 90% OF the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) buses have well crossed their average age limit, going by the data from the transport undertaking. This means the loss-making body is shelling out a high amount for the maintenance of the buses, officials said. The BEST owns 3,921 buses, including 270 air-conditioned (AC) ones. Data shows that almost 3,837 buses, including 262 AC buses and 3,575 ordinary buses, have crossed their average age limit of 9.5 years. Watch what else is making news “The maintenance cost of a bus above its average age-limit is higher, but the undertaking has not been able to find the funds for new buses. At least Rs 1 lakh is spent on the maintenance of a bus every year, which can be avoided if new buses are made available,” said Shivaji Singh, BEST committee member. The BEST spends at least Rs 22 per kilometre on an AC bus and Rs 10 per kilometre on a non-AC bus for maintenance. Out of the 270 AC buses owned by the undertaking, only 106 ply, while the rest are idle, adding to the maintenance cost. The BEST committee Thursday passed a proposal to auction 50 non-working AC buses that had completed 7-8 years of their average life. “The BEST is scrapping non-functional AC buses, but wants to keep plying older buses that need more maintenance. This hints at the undertaking wanting to buy buses or run them on private contract while we let go off healthy buses,” Singh said. Another committee member said the government or the civic body should help the BEST buy new buses.“After every seven years, a bus is subject to mid-life repair that keeps it functional for 15 years.This only happens because the BEST does not have money for new buses. If the BMC, the state or the Centre fund us, we can buy new buses on a regular basis and phase off old ones,” said Kedar Hombalkar, BEST committee member. In 2007-08, the BEST had purchased almost 1,000 buses, including 276 AC ones, from the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). Last year, the Regional Transport Organisation (RTO) scrapped 30 buses that were not found to be in working condition. “The undertaking needs a helping hand from the Centre and the state to buy new buses and serve commuters better. Instead of paying high maintenance costs, better services should be encouraged,” said Ravi Raja, BEST committee member. The undertaking plans to buy 303 buses from the Tata group by March 2017. Of the estimated cost of Rs157 crore, the BMC will help with a grant of Rs 90 crore. “The maintenance cost of the vehicle will go up with its age. As the BEST has no money to buy new buses every year, we try and make use of vehicles to their maximum age limit,” said Jagdish Patil, General Manager, BEST.
