Friday, Apr 19, 2024 | Last Update : 10:51 PM IST
Mumbai Metro expansion may doom BEST operations
In the past three years, BEST has lost more than six lakh passengers.
Mumbai: The expansion of Metro services is likely to spell doom for the transport wing of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking. After completing all six Metro routes in the city, the ratio of BEST passengers among people using all kinds of transport will come down from 21.9 per cent to 11.2 per cent by the year 2034, says the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) mobility plan.
In a bid to find a solution to ever increasing traffic woes on city roads, BMC has prepared a comprehensive traffic mobility plan, which has surveyed people travelling using various modes like BEST, railway, car, taxi, rickshaw, bicycle, motorcycle, monorail, metro etc.
The survey says that BEST, which is already struggling with dwindling number of commuters every year, is likely to further lose passengers after the Metro network is established entirely in the city.
While the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro route is already commissioned, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has proposed five more routes – Dahisar to DN Nagar, DN Nagar to Mandale, Wadala-Ghatkopar-Kasarvadavali (Thane), Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ and Andheri East to Dahisar East.
In the past three years, BEST has lost more than six lakh passengers. In 2014, BEST plied 30 lakh passengers every day, which has now dropped to about 24 lakh. As a result, the transport undertaking is suffering an annual loss of Rs 600 crore.
After the Metro network is completed, BEST’s passenger count is expected to erode further. By the year 2034, 23.6 per cent commuters will travel by Metro, while BEST’s passenger ratio will drop to 11.2 per cent.
“We have undertaken several measures to increase the number of BEST passengers,” said BEST committee chairman Anil Kokil. “Along with purchase of new buses, we have also decided to start new routes for the convenience of commuters,” he said.
The report also says that the total costs for strengthening public transport is Rs 13,378 crore. The report said Rs 4,851 crore would be required for strengthening of road/highway system.
