Mumbai: With Mumbai gradually limping back to business,the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST)undertakinghas said it will resume its transportation service for office goers from Monday onwards. While the state government has allowed private offices to reopen with 10 per cent of staff strength from June 8, local train services – often referred to as Mumbai’s lifeline – are not being run for the general public. In such a situation, BEST buses will be the only mode of public transport available to regular office-goers.
Initially,the BEST management will ply 200 buses on Monday, and after assessing the passenger turnout for the first few days, the undertaking will take a call on whether to press more buses into service. "BEST will be following the orders issued by the state government. Till now, amid the ongoing lockdown period, the undertaking was providing dedicated service for emergency service providers. However now, all Mumbaikars can board the buses as well," said Manoj Varade, BEST spokesperson. The BEST management has, however, stipulated that only one passenger will be allowed per two seats on both sides of the gangway, and a single bus can accommodate a maximum of five standees only. The passengers have been strictly asked to adhere to the social distancing norms, and any bus not adhering to the rules could be stopped midway.
The BEST management has, however, maintained thatits buses willnot pickup passengers from containment zones, and any buses running through such a route will be diverted to an alternative route. The passengers will be charged as per the normal fare chart (Rs 5 for first five kilometers and Rs 20 maximum fare). Conductors will allow office-goers to board once they show their ID cards. However, for selfemployed personnel, word of mouth will be taken as a guarantee. "For those self-employed (carpenters, electricians, plumbers, etc), conductors may allow them inside the bus if they are convinced by what they say," said Varade.
Meanwhile during the ongoing lockdown, BEST buses have operated even beyond the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), providing services in places up to Virar, Navi Mumbai and Ambernath. As per the latest schedule of BEST released on June 1, BEST has been operating buses till Virar, Badlapur, Kalyan and Panvel, however, a revised time table of plans is yet to be released by the BEST administration, highlighting the specified routes. "Apart from providing regular services to citizens BEST will continue to provide buses beyond MMR region as special service" confirmed a senior BEST official.
