Amid the news of scrapping old buses, new additions will ease the burden of public transport during the COVID-19 pandemic
Amid COVID-19, the emphasis has been on making the journey cashless to avoid contact. File pic/ Satej Shinde
New and cool! At least 30 new bright red air-conditioned BEST buses have been spotted inside the Magathane bus depot near Borivli, giving hope that the Undertaking which will be scrapping 900 buses is procuring new ones simultaneously.
"Yes, the new buses are in and parked at Magathane bus depot. These are wet-lease buses. The process of their registration etc with the RTO is complete and they are now waiting for the installation of software linked with the Integrated Transport Management System (ITMS) software so that they can be formally inducted," a senior official said.
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The BEST undertaking has been facing a crisis as more than 900 buses are in the process of being scrapped by next year. Experts have been saying that the BEST needs more buses amid the pandemic and that every attempt should be made to save the buses from being scrapped. Either the government should intervene and get blanket permission or the RTO should extend its fitness certificate, they said. However, BEST chairman Anil Patankar, assured mid-day that new buses will be procured soon.
900
No. of buses to be scrapped by next year
Also Read: Mumbai: Will BEST convert scrapped buses into public toilets?
BEST bus, auto collide, 2 hurt
The auto driver fled from the spot without getting treatment
A collision between a BEST bus and an autorickshaw injured two on Monday when bus number 398 was going to Mulund Check Naka from Dindoshi depot, BEST spokesperson Manoj Varade said. "The auto rammed into the left corner of the bus around 2.50 pm and toppled near Mulund depot. Two passengers in the auto received minor injuries and were treated at MT Agarwal Hospital. The auto driver refused treatment and fled. The passengers alerted sub-inspector Chetan Bagul of Mulund police station but did not file a complaint,"
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