AC buses runaway hit8217;

MUMBAI, April 30: Fantastic' is how Brihanmumbai Electrical Supply and Transport BEST undertaking chairperson Arvind Nerkar describes the...

MUMBAI, April 30: Fantastic8217; is how Brihanmumbai Electrical Supply and Transport BEST undertaking chairperson Arvind Nerkar describes the response to its month-old air conditioned bus service. 8220;We are now increasing the routes and frequency of the buses,8221; an upbeat Nerkar told Express Newsline on Wednesday.

Nerkar, who began his second term as chairperson this month, said the red and blue buses will soon ply through the eastern suburbs as well as link the western and eastern suburbs. Next month, the buses will ply between Ghatkopar and Bora Bazar. The BEST is being besieged by requests from Vashi and Dombivli residents to start the service there as well, he stated.

BEST which runs nearly 3,500 buses in Mumbai daily, ferrying nearly 55 lakh passengers across the city landscape, will augment its fleet of seven AC buses to 46 over the next three months in batches of 25 and 21 buses.The buses, with a capacity of 45 passengers, were inaugurated on March 29. The first four buses generated arevenue of Rs 9,500 on their first day. The seven buses that presently ply between Oshiwara bus depot and Cuffe Parade reportedly earn an average of Rs 25,000 daily. This Rs 23.50-ride is a tenth of what a taxi ride would cost on the same route: Rs 300.

The undertaking hopes to use the AC buses8217; fare advantage to woo car owners driving to work, as one bus could take at least 30 motor cars off the road, added BEST officials.

The BEST has also mooted a proposal for special lanes for its buses along the Western and Eastern express highways. 8220;We have found that running our buses on special lanes could knock a minimum 20 minutes off a bus journey between Borivli and south Mumbai,8221; Nerkar said, adding that the lane could also be used by ambulances and for VIP traffic.

While the state government has already given a green signal for the undertaking8217;s proposal for commercialisation of bus depots, the BMC is yet to approve this idea. 8220;We decided to let out space in BEST bus depots to save commuters frequentbus fare and electricity tariff hikes,8221; Nerkar said.

Nerkar said space outside bus depots would be leased out to banks and shops to generate revenue. As a first step, the undertaking has identified sites at bus depots in prime locations of Colaba, Dadar, Mahim, Wadala and Gorai. The undertaking has already leased out space to co-operative banks at the Dindoshi and Wadala bus depots.