Every time one talks about Mumbai’s lifeline, Railways and BEST for sure come to your mind. The reason is so simple and evident. How would the population of Mumbai ever travel and eventually survive without them? Well our lifeline BEST is turning 75 this year and I thought of taking you all through its journey all these years and reminding you of how it is and will be known as the lifeline of the city.
BEST Bus Services Have Been Mumbai’s Lifeline Since 1947
BEST began its services as Bombay Tramway Company in 1873 with horse drawn carriages and then in 1926, the first bus service was launched. BEST was renamed in 1947 after India gained independence as Bombay Electric Supply and Transport and then was changed to Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport in 1995. A[part from bus services, BEST has also been providing electric power to Mumbaikars. It is owned by Mumbai Municipal Corporation. Millions of commuters rely on bus services to get to work, school, medical care, and social opportunities at incredibly little cost. The fleet currently consists of 3500 buses, 10% of which are zero emission electric vehicles (ZEEVs), travelling about 600,000 kilometres per day, and carrying 3 million passengers.
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BEST Aims To Grow In The Next Five Years
With the estimated population growth, the ridership is also projected to grow from 3 million to 5 million commuters every day. The BEST service has worked all these years keeping in mind its mission, “providing reliable, efficient, affordable and passenger friendly mobility”. Mr. Lokesh Chandra who is the General Manager of BEST says that EVs or Electric Vehicles are the future. Operating costs are cut in half when EVs are used. Along with lowering noise and air pollution, EVs also require a lot less maintenance and downtime. The buses are made in-country by Tata Motors, a major automaker that also owns Jaguar and Land Rover, and are maintained by outside companies. A fleet of 10,000 buses will be entirely made up of electric vehicles by 2027.
Also Read: Mumbaikars Can Now Take E-Bikes To reach Home After Getting Off From BEST Buses