In what it might be called as good news for women commuters in Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) is going to buy 37 buses only for women commuters.
According to the DNA, on Tuesday BEST Committee gave nod for buying 37 buses for women under Tejaswini Scheme of the state government. These buses will exclusively ferry women commuters, especially during peak hours. These will non-AC 37 mid-sized buses. Anil Patankar, BEST Committee chairman told the leading daily, “We want the administration to operate these buses from all the depots, instead of limiting their operation from Colaba and Dadar depots.”
BEST has awarded a contract to a company which will deliver these buses. The contractor is expected to deliver a prototype bus in 45 days and the remaining buses in 4 to 5 months. The state government two years earlier had released Rs 11 crore of Rs 27 crore fund under Tejaswini scheme for 100 buses, including 50 AC minibuses for female commuters. However, the procurement of the buses was delayed due to the difference of opinion between the panel members and administration.
Currently, BEST has a fleet of 3,200 buses, which includes 25 AC buses. By the end of the year, BEST is planning to have 1,950 more buses. In the next six months, 480 buses, including 80 electric buses, will be added to BEST’s fleet.
