Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking has revealed that its Gorai, Bandra and Marol depots had recorded the highest number of ticketless riders in its latest audit. The Santacruz, Goregaon and Vikhroli depots too have recorded a significant number of offenders following the fare reduction.
Gorai depot tops the list, with 348 detected cases on an average, followed by Marol and Bandra depots, with 248 and 234 cases respectively.
Ever since the BEST reduced fares in July 2019, there has been a significant rise in ridership and at the same time, an increase in the number of ticketless travellers. Before the fare reduction, the average number of ticketless travellers was 3,047, which rose to 3,500 after July 8, 2019, the day from which the fare cut came into effect.
However, to counter this menace of freeloaders, the undertaking is has put more ticket inspectors into service. "We have increased the number of inspectors. Often inspectors in civil dress are posted at bus stops, posing as commuters to nab offenders," said a senior BEST official.
"After the fares were reduced, there has been an increase in ridership, as a result of which the number of miscreants too has also increased," the official added.
Notably, these three depots do not have many conductorless feeder route buses, compared to the other depots in the city. Since the feeder routes were introduced, many passengers have complained that the fact that there is no conductor in the buses increases the chance of passengers getting away without buying a ticket. But statistics reveal the contrary - most of the offenders have been caught while travelling on these conductorless buses.
"There is a lesser chance of passengers getting away without tickets on these feeder buses, as the gates remain closed after boarding," said the official.