Opinion Aaditya Thackeray writes: The BEST way to ensure affordable, safe transport in Mumbai

It is generally easy to apply an antiseptic to a wound, to ensure that the wound is cleaned. But it takes another skill to ensure that it hurts the least while the antiseptic works around cleaning the wound. Similarly, to revive the BEST in its best imagination, the antiseptic (fund raising) was poured, but in a way that it has brutally burnt and pained the user, which is the daily passenger.
Last month, the BEST administration, running on orders now from the Chief Minister’s office and the Urban Development Department (in the absence of an elected BMC), decided to infuse funds by doubling its fares. In less than 10 days, the ridership has halved, and this move has cut deep into the pockets of the citizens who use the BEST.

Does it make any sense, then, to claim to be earning revenues when one’s ridership has reduced to half of its peak ridership? The aim of public transport, especially buses, is to ensure that every person in the city, regardless of socio-economic background, finds an affordable, efficient and useful means to commute.

The other way the government is thinking is, of course, a method unique to politicians: Sell off the bus depots to builders, to earn one-time revenue for the BEST.

As if this wasn’t enough to kill the BEST’s prospects, the number of buses in the fleet has reduced drastically, the headway time has increased, causing massive discomfort to commuters who now wait around 45 minutes at some locations for the next bus to arrive. The fleet size, too, has been reduced to a negligible number.

More so, the BEST is now wrapped around in advertisements, and the iconic red of the BEST is hidden behind commercials that make the bus look ugly. The “Bus Stops” that should be easy for people to sit at, peaceful and dignified in look during peak hours of chaos, now seem to look like LED Hoardings.

What the BEST needs is also what our city needs today: Leadership, in the hands of someone living and loving this city.
I personally consider the BEST to be the city’s real lifeline. The railways may be commuting 60 lakh (6.5 million) people a day, but the last few miles, and more often than not, the most important mile, is covered by the BEST buses. Almost 35 lakh (3.5 million) people commuted on the BEST buses daily, till its fares were doubled last month. Even during the monsoon, flash floods and other emergencies, when the railways stop, it is the BEST buses that ferry people.

Even as I crib about my city’s crumbling BEST network, let me lay out what is needed today, and indeed what we were doing to strengthen this system.

First, we need a strong political leadership, in the form of an elected municipal corporator being elected as its chairperson, accompanied by a full-time IAS officer as its General Manager, who wants to resurrect the BEST. As of today, the General Manager is ad hoc, with additional charge, and with no elections for three years. The BEST is without a chairperson and committee.

Second, the state government that spends rapidly and randomly on cost escalations across various projects, needs to infuse the BEST with a grant to ensure its upkeep at the moment.

Third, the fares need to be flat and affordable. We had brought them down to 5 rupees for 5 km, 10 for 10, 15 for 15, and for any journey more than 15 km, it was a flat 20 rupees. The ridership was sky high and increasing daily. Along with this, mobile phone application-based tickets and monthly passes will help a great deal.

Then, the government grant, with a combination of funds from the National Clean Air Fund, Finance Commission, etc, must be used to increase the fleet size to 10,000 electric buses that would run to all points of the city. The fleet has to include mini, medium, long and double-decker buses that have the capability to operate across the city as per the need of the lane size, and the hour and size of commute. The routes have to be a mix of traditional routes, feeder routes to metro and railways, and ferry routes in the commercial districts of the city.

Number five: We need low-cost, aesthetic and clean bus stops across the city that don’t look like commercial hoardings, but can earn revenue through display boards, which help the BEST to earn well. The old buses need to be changed or retrofitted to be electric, and some experimental hydrogen buses can also be run in the city. The electric buses, if run on clean energy across the city, are silent, non-polluting and most importantly, economically viable compared to diesel and CNG.

Finally, the bus depots, rather than a source of land value for builders, must be carefully modified to ensure the BEST is served better, especially with its mix of electric and hydrogen buses. Better facilities for its employees and commuters should also be ensured.

Everything mentioned above was what we put into action during our time in government. The introduction of mini buses had increased our connectivity, the flat and affordable fares had increased our ridership; the double decker electric buses had increased those wanting to have a bus ride to see our city better and for nostalgia; electric buses were driving down our expenses on fuel and sound pollution; clean and transparent bus stops were making our city safer, with a bright look.

It is not the high fares and high revenues that really give a boost to public transport. It may look amazing on the balance sheet, but then, the real essence of public transport is to make it available as an option for one and all. The question really is, why is the government so keen on killing our BEST bus system? This mode of transport is safe, efficient and affordable to all those who chase their dreams in the city. To kill the BEST is to kill those dreams.

Aaditya Thackeray is the President of Yuva Sena, the youth wing of Shiv Sena