Best8217;s AC buses get half as cool

MUMBAI, OCT 4: Commuters travelling on the air-conditioned BEST buses will now have to shell out twice the fare they have been paying, as...

MUMBAI, OCT 4: Commuters travelling on the air-conditioned BEST buses will now have to shell out twice the fare they have been paying, as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC today passed a proposal effecting a 100 per cent hike during peak hours.

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport BEST committee chairman Prabhakar Shinde told the civic general body that running the services was proving too costly with a yawning gap between revenue and expenses on the services. The hike would help offset in some way the overall Rs 198 crore deficit in the entire bus section.

The AC fares were fixed in relation to the basic fare applicable for ordinary buses. When it was fixed it was 150 per cent higher than the ordinary fare. With this hike, it8217;s a whopping 300 per cent higher than the ordinary fares. BEST committee had passed the proposal over two months ago but had to wait for elections to get over to move ahead for approval from the House. The old rates will apply during non-peak hours.

Shindelater told reporters the hike will be implemented within a fortnight. Asked if it will affect commuters mostly on short journeys, he replied, 8220;I don8217;t think so. If one looks at the psychological aspect, those who travel by AC would not revert to non-AC. Its like a cultivated habit. Besides, they would still spend less in comparison with taxis and cool cabs.8221;

BEST started the AC bus services in the city from March 30, 1998. The first route A-I was operated from Oshiwara depot to World Trade Centre. Thereafter two more routes were added, the A-4 route, between Hutatma Chowk and Ghatkopar bus station, and A-533 from Oshiwara Depot to A P M Complex. Totally, the BEST operates 27 AC buses and plans to increase its fleet to 100 by March 2000.

A performance appraisal of the AC routes showed that BEST was in fact spending more on these services than it earned in revenue. For instance, the total earnings during the month of February 1999 were Rs 19.13 lakh, while the expenditure on the buses was Rs 40.58 lakh,i.e., a shortfall of Rs 21.44 lakh and 52.84 per cent losses. With this increase, BMC will earn an additional Rs 31 lakh per month but will still incur a loss of Rs 9 lakh.

BEST also found out that the load capacity of the AC buses was proving a liability. The carrying capacity for AC buses is 45 persons compared to 72 persons including standees in a single decker bus, 36 per cent less.

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Mumbai being a linear city with the concentration of commercial and residential buildings on either side, the travelling pattern shows a north-south flow in the morning and vice versa in the evening. Hence trips in the non-traffic direction runs below the desired patronage.

While the hike is based on the load factor and direction during peak-hours, there is no clear-cut direction on the timings of the peak hours. Shinde agreed the undertaking will have to work out timings so as to avoid a war of words between commuters and BEST conductors.