Mumbai News: BEST Cites Shortage Of Buses, Manpower; New Routes On Hold

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking has revealed that due to a critical shortage of vehicles and manpower, it is currently not possible to introduce any new routes.

In an official letter dated August 21, 2025, Harish S. Shetty, Deputy Depot Manager of BEST’s Gorai Division, informed Dr. Vikas P. Nikam that due to a shortage of manpower and buses, it is not feasible at present to introduce a new route.

Dr. Nikam had submitted a request urging the transport authority to introduce a ring route connecting key points in the heavily congested suburbs of Dahisar and Borivali to improve local mobility and reduce travel time.

While acknowledging the growing demand and the merit of the proposal, Shetty’s letter pointed to critical operational constraints. “Many buses in the current fleet have reached the end of their service life and are being phased out. Due to the shortage of functional vehicles and manpower, we are unable to maintain even the existing schedule on certain routes,” the letter stated.

The shortage has not only hampered the introduction of new services but also caused delays and erratic schedules on existing ones, frustrating commuters in the northern suburbs. Compounding the problem, Shetty noted, is the persistent traffic congestion on major routes, which further impacts bus frequency and reliability.

The proposed ring service was seen as a potential game-changer for intra-suburban travel, particularly in providing last-mile connectivity between residential neighborhoods and the Borivali railway station. However, until the fleet is upgraded and staffing issues resolved, BEST officials say no new routes can be introduced.

“The department will consider reinstating previous services and introducing new ones once there is an increase in the number of operational buses,” the letter concluded. The current number of BEST buses, including wet lease buses, has dropped below 2,700.