In one of its biggest gambles yet, BEST has proposed a flurry of concessions in a bid to attract more commuters and win back those who had strayed away from the public transport body.
The BEST committee passed a proposal for new concessions in bus passes as well as decrease in normal and air-conditioned fares; however, this will lead to a loss of approximately Rs 50 lakh per month for the undertaking.
Asked why BEST is taking such a big risk, general manager Jagdish Patil said that it had reached a do-or-die situation which is why a “calculated risk” was being taken to bring back the undertaking’s glory days.
As regards the concessions announced, fares of air-conditioned buses have been reduced from Rs 30 to Rs 15 for the 2-km slab. Long distance commuters will see an even bigger 60 per cent discount, with fares for 20 km brought down from Rs 100 to Rs 40. On the flip side, BEST will lose an estimated Rs 170,000 per day and will have to increase its commuters by 2,400 to break even. In case of normal fares, they will be reduced by Rs 2 in the 8 km, 12 km, 17 km and 25 km slabs. This will cost the undertaking a loss of Rs 461,000 per day. Furthermore, validity of monthly passes has been extended for the same price i.e. a pass that could earlier be used for 22 days will now be usable for 30 days. Similarly, a 66 days’ pass can now be used for 90 days. Again, this will result in a loss of Rs 4,181,000 per day with the undertaking required to see at least 555 of these passes. With respect to daily passes, there is a 50 per cent reduction while Happy Hours have been extended from 11 to 5 pm. This too will cost undertaking Rs 117,000 per day.
Asked about the sweeping concessions, Mr Patil said, “We have to take a calculated risk. BEST is the oldest public transport body in Mumbai. In fact, it was established before the municipal corporation; hence, the situation demands that we take a risk to ensure we do not perish,”
