On Monday, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) sold 25 lakh single journey tickets in one day one of its highest in three years.
According to the Indian Express, the ridership has increased by 50 percent since BEST has reduced the minimum fare of Rs 5. As per the data provided by the BEST, on July 12, ticket sales reached 24.99 lakh without counting pass holders. A senior BEST official told the leading daily, on Monday, the ridership recorded was the highest in close to three years as it sold over 25 lakh single journey tickets. Monday’s ticket sales were 50.4 percent higher than what the transport undertaking sold on July 8, the last day before the revised fares were implemented.
On July 9, the BEST slashed its fare in a bid to increase ridership. BEST has reduced the minimum non-AC bus fare from Rs 8 to Rs 5 for the first five kilometres. The maximum fare for this class has been capped at Rs 20. For BEST AC buses, the minimum fare has been brought down from Rs 20 to Rs 6 and the maximum fare has been kept at Rs 25. The BEST hopes that this move will draw people back to buses, which has lost commuters to autos and share taxis.
BEST has a fleet of 3,337 buses, which ply on 483 routes in Mumbai, Thane, and Navi Mumbai. Interestingly, BEST faces a loss of Rs 2 crore per day of operation. BEST is hoping that the slicing down of fare will boost its income by increasing the number of passengers, which has gone down from 45 lakh a day to 27 lakh.