BEST’s loss is railways’ gain

While the BEST buses have lost over 10 lakh passengers in a few months, WR and CR trains have found more takers, with their passenger count increasing by one and three lakh respectively per day

BEST's loss is railways' gain

While the BEST buses have lost over 10 lakh passengers in a few months, WR and CR trains have found more takers, with their passenger count increasing by one and three lakh respectively per day

It seems that Mumbaikars are increasingly opting for rides on local trains, giving the BEST bus services a cold shoulder.
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In the last three-four months, over 10 lakh commuters have decided to give the BEST buses a collective cold shoulder. This decline has coincided with a parallel rise in the number of commuters for local train services.

Figures released by BEST indicate that the transport body, which had been ferrying over 44 lakh passengers even in 2010, now only has about 33 lakh takers.
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Needless to say, this indicates a drastic fall in the bus-service's popularity.

These dwindling numbers have been accompanied by a simultaneous rise in the number of takers for the train services in the city.

The number of commuters on the Western Railway (WR) network has increased by 3.6 per cent. This means that more than one lakh passengers on the WR route have taken to the railway services, in the recent past.

The Central Railway (CR) network has also witnessed a remarkable boost in the number of passengers, their figures having gone up by a whopping three lakh passengers per day.

All's not well
Admitting to the dip in its popularity, a BEST official divulged that the undertaking has been suffering heavy losses for years now, and has been struggling to make ends meet, in the absence of any financial assistance from the government, in the form of subsidies.
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"Last year, our ex-general manager had applied for a grant of over Rs 100 crore from the government, but we were denied any aid.

It is becoming increasingly difficult for us to level our losses. Our staff-members, including bus drivers and conductors, have been crying themselves hoarse for a pay raise, but the authorities are helpless," he said.

The plummeting fortunes of the transport body could be attributed to a number of factors.

In 2010, an average number of 100 buses suffered breakdowns every month. Its reputation suffered additional blows when fires broke out in a number of buses.

Ravi Raja, BEST committee member, said, "The easy availability of shared autos and cabs is one of the major reasons for the recent decline in the number of passengers.
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People prefer to hop onto these vehicles, rather than wait for the BEST buses to arrive. Recurring technical snags in our buses have also contributed to our disrepute."

Sunil Shinde, committee chairman, BEST, acceded, "It is true that the number of passengers has diminished considerably, and we are doing our best to woo them."

Spokespersons from both CR and WR confirmed that the number of commuters had risen.u00a0

4,699
Number of buses

1,210
Number of services on WR route