Mumbai: In response to an SOS by Municipal Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi to the BEST administration, seeking the use of its buses as freight carriers, the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking, has loaned 34 of its popular airconditioned minibuses for the task.
Currently, the 'red fairy' of Mumbai has been ferrying very important persons - essential service providers - to and from work, but has now taken on the job of ferrying food supplies to various parts of the city, to ensure that no Mumbaikar is forced to do without bare necessities.
Accordingly, BEST has transformed its red-coloured 21-seater air-conditioned minibuses into mobile refrigerator vans, transporting food packets and rations to various pockets of the city.
The seats have been uninstalled, to make optimal use of the space within for accommodating supplies. Each day, before the buses hit the road, they are sanitised and the drivers and helpers on buses have been provided with protective gear.
With the help of the red buses, the BMC is able to provide supplies to the relief camps and quarantine facilities set up across the city. Local ward offices are also using the buses similarly.
"The civic body and BEST are working together to provide maximum service in these trying times. The BEST has given 34 buses to the civic body for essential services," said BEST spokesperson Manoj Varde. "The minibuses are agile and faster.
Also, the AC helps in preserving the food for longer. Now that the seats have been removed, we can not only use the space better, but it also makes for easier sanitisation," said a senior BEST official, responsible for the 34 minibuses.
