seat of contention: Currently, the BEST has 30 low-floor buses with 33 seats and a standing capacity of 20. file pic

Concerned about the growing congestion on Mumbai's roads, the traffic department has come up with a proposal for BEST buses. They have requested BEST to redesign their buses to have lesser sitting and more standing capacity. They want BEST to introduce these redesigned buses for short distances.

A traffic official says areas like Churchgate, CST and Nariman Point are congested at most times. Taxi drivers also refuse fares for short distances. "Commuters won't mind standing during their commute if it is for a short duration. Hence, we have floated the proposal," said the official.

According to the official, "Maximum commuters travel by BEST buses. Therefore, we want buses redesigned so that commuters can breathe easy." BEST already has a short distance bus service from CST to NCPA and from Churchgate to Nariman Point.

BEST has liked the idea and has already started working on the proposal. Uttam Khobragade, BEST general manager, says, "We were initially planning to ply low-floor buses on the route, but will now think of redesigning our buses."

BEST has been contemplating the low-floor bus plan for the last three years and had also plied buses in south Mumbai on experimental basis.
Currently, BEST has 30 low-floor buses with a 33 sitting and more than 20 standing capacity.

These buses were introduced in 2006 for the handicapped, but the idea was not successful. Now, all passengers use these buses.