The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) has moved a step ahead towards cashless payments with its new ticketing vendor Chalo. The system was initially rolled out late November 2021 and now functioning across all 27 bus depots of BEST. The app, which was in its beta phase until December 2021, is now available for everyone. Today, we will slowly cover all the aspects regarding the Chalo App.
Ticketing
You can purchase all sorts of tickets through Chalo App, ranging from a single journey ticket to a full day pass or even a monthly season ticket. More into that later, let’s get acquainted with a step-by-step ticket purchase through Chalo.
Step 1: Open Chalo and enter your bus number or open Chalo and select One-way ticket.
Step 1: Using the Chalo App
Step 2: Choose the bus route you want to board. Enter the starting point and destination of your journey along with the Number of tickets you wish to purchase. You will be then shown a fare breakup of your ticket.
Step 2: Using the Chalo App
Step 3: Choose a mode for payment and you will be redirected to the payment gateway. Your ticket is now booked & valid for next 24 hours. Save it until your bus arrives. Your ticket remains visible in the app itself and will be accessible till your ride commences.
Step 3: Using the Chalo App
Remember: Do not start your trip unless you board your bus or see the bus conductor. Once activated, the ticket expires in 15 minutes. If your bus is delayed, the purchased ticket can be utilised within 24 hours on the same route. Do not worry.
Remember: Using the Chalo App
Meanwhile:
Track the live location of your bus on the app a get to know the occupancy and Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA). The app also comes with a route planner that can suggest buses according to your travel needs. You can track a bus first and purchase a ticket accordingly. The blue icons indicate active buses on route.
Meanwhile: Using the Chalo App
Final Step: Activate your ticket and show it to the conductor for getting it printed. As of now, passengers would be issued a paper ticket from the bus conductors. It will take time to make this process totally paperless. If the Token Number on your Mobile Ticket does not work, then press the orange text saying “Tap Here” which will generate a QR Code on your Mobile Screen. Get it scanned by the Conductor and your ticket is finally printed.
Final Step: Using the Chalo App
Your Printed Ticket will look like this. Do notice “Mobile Ticket” printed as a Mode of Payment.
Printed ticket booked using the Chalo app
What else does the app have to offer?
Recently, BEST rolled out a list of Super Saver plans that offers passengers fare-based trip plans starting from two trips a day at ₹9 for non-AC and ₹10 for AC buses. In a way, by subscribing these fare-based limited period plans, you get to save few rupees along with not shelling any change from your pocket. The procedure (as of now) for generating a ticket is the same mentioned for a one-way ticket.
In-detail information about the Super Saver plans announced by BEST are below:
BEST’s Super Saver Plans at a GlanceBEST’s Super Saver Plans
Why Chalo?
The day this app was inaugurated in Mumbai, many social media users lost their cool regarding the name Chalo, questioning why the undertaking did not look out for a Marathi name. The answer is simple. Chalo has been in existence way before November 2021. As of now, this vendor provides service in 20 cities across India (including Mumbai) and five cities are served the BETA Version of the Chalo App. Well, this wasn’t even a thing to explain because right after installation, the App asks to choose a city and the list is self-explanatory.
The Future
On 1 January 2022, BEST launched the Chalo Card which will act as an e-Wallet during your journey. The Card has a tap-and-go mechanism which would be sensed by the upper part of ticket printing machine. I will write in-detail about that, once it is tried and tested. BEST is slowly moving closer towards cashless payments and the tracking system is getting better day by day. Chalo being in the initial stage for Mumbaikars needs a certain recognition and passengers need proper guidance in order to switch to this app. This shows a brighter future for BEST bus travel but, there is one thing where BEST is still lagging behind that is fleet expansion. More buses can attract more passengers and can generate more revenue for the Undertaking. With ticket fares so cheap, people are preferring buses over auto-rickshaws and taxis in Mumbai. Everyone is hoping for new single and double decker buses to join the fleet as soon as possible & help this difficult phase to end.
The Chalo Card
If you are stepping out, make sure you wear a mask, follow COVID-appropriate behavior and keep your hands sanitised. Omicron is here and the situation is quite scary.
In an attempt to make public transport better, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has set up new bus stops for the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking along the Western Express Highway. This isn’t the first time the agency has set up bus stops, it has done so in the past, as part of the Mumbai Urban Infrastructure Project (MUIP) in 2003.
Along with the bus stop, MMRDA has also marked the road in front of the bus stop with a yellow grid.
The newly installed MMRDA-BEST bus stop at Vile Parle (Image: Sahilinfra/Twitter)
The new bus shelters are divided into two parts: One side with seating and one side with space for standees. Between the two parts are four USB slots to charge phones (as tweeted by Sahil, who shared these images).
The newly installed MMRDA-BEST bus stop at Vile Parle (Image: Sahilinfra/Twitter)
The bus stop also includes space for advertisements and has two lights embedded onto the ceiling of it.
Social media has been divided on the inclusion of USB ports. Some believe that they will be pointless since commuters may not spend much time at the stop, while others feel that they will be stolen or damaged in no time.
What is your view on this? Do drop a note in the comments below. If I ever need to make chutney on the go, I’ll take my USB-powered grinder to a bus stop.
Here are two pictures of earlier designs of MMRDA’s bus stops (known as Bus Q Shelters) that were installed as part of the world-bank funded Mumbai Urban Infrastructure Project (MUIP) from the agency’s website.
MUIP Bus Q Shelter at Kherwadi JunctionMUIP Bus Q Shelter at Chheda Nagar
A recent joke on Whatsapp that I received goes: Commuter: Humko thoda comfort dede re. MMRDA: Ye le, bus stop pe USB port.
Let’s hope the USB ports actually serve their purpose while also hoping that MMRDA and BEST come up with better solutions in future.
If you are stepping out, make sure you wear a mask, follow COVID-appropriate behavior and keep your hands sanitised. Omicron is here and the situation is quite scary.
We all would have heard the saying “Hit the Iron, when it is Hot”. The Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) has proved it well. It brought about a revamp that not only improved its services but also encouraged people to prefer them over its counterparts. Here is a detailed analysis of how NMMT has been through a critical phase and brought several improvements in its bus service.
The Beginning
When a majority of the population in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) was deprived of travelling by suburban trains, NMMT started Route 84 from Kurla Railway Station (East) to Bharat Gears (Mumbra) via Vashi and deployed their newly procured Ashok Leyland SLF CNG Buses. This invited a lot of criticism since both the destinations do not fall under the jurisdiction of NMMC. But this isn’t the first time NMMT has done it. Ghansoli Depot’s AC-131 is supposed to operate between Airoli Bus Station and Borivali Railway Station but most of the time operated between Borivali and Thane Railway Station (East), grabbing the passengers of the Thane Municipal Transport’s (TMT’s) only active Volvo route AC-65. Moving on, the undertaking received electric buses built by JBM Auto which brings us to the next point.
The Future is Electric
NMMT’s JBM e9 at Thane CIDCO on Route no. 4 to Vashi Sector 7 and Route 8 Vashi Rly. Stn (Photo: Gandharva Purohit)
As the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) was getting MEIL Olectra K9D buses and the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) was gearing up with the delivery of Tata Starbus Ultra and Urban EV, NMMT too had plans for expanding the Electric Bus strength with JBM Ecolife e9 and e12. They set up fast chargers at Vashi Railway Station as well to improve the efficiency. The e9 fleet was deployed on Non-AC routes like 1, 4, 8, 9, 42, 111 and 144 charging Non-AC Fares and AC-105, AC-107 and AC-110 with AC fares. There were paper sheets pasted on the front and side of the bus saying “साध्या दरात एसी प्रवास” (AC Bus at Normal Fares). The buses were impressive, so were their numbers. Slowly, the JBM e12 showed up as well and they began their journey by working on trials. The trials took so long that the buses lying idle started getting damaged during monsoon.
Then, the rumors came of these buses commencing their services during Diwali. Finally, in mid-November the buses started plying on routes 1, 62 and 100 but with a twist.
The Fare Revision
Walking on the footsteps of BEST, NMMT too came up with a solution of fare revision to attract passengers to their AC services. From 23 October 2021, the fares were revised with the minimum fare slashed down from ₹15 to ₹10 and the maximum fare brought down from ₹110 to ₹65. Considering the Volvo fleet of NMMT and the maintenance these buses require, this fare chart is quite reasonable. Talking of the difference between Non-AC and AC fares, the new fares have shortened the gap, thereby encouraging passengers’ buying capacity to avail a comfortable ride in AC through paying a little more. NMMT not only publicised this policy through a Press Note, but even through putting up banners at various bus stops. The twist though is that they started charging the new AC fares in the JBM electric euses which are deployed on their several Non-AC Routes.
However, the difference can’t be felt to such an extent. For instance, a ticket from Thane CIDCO to Sanpada Police Station is ₹23 for a Non-AC bus while it is ₹30 for the AC bus plying on route 1 between Thane and CBD Belapur. The “साध्या दरात एसी प्रवास” tagline on all their Electric Buses was replaced with “वातानुकूलित बस सवलतीच्या दरात” along with pasting the revised fare chart onboard to make passengers aware of the change in fares.
Network Expansion: Connecting the Unconnected
NMMT’s JBM e12 arriving at Kharkopar Railway Station on Route no. 23 from CBD Bus Station. (Picture: Gandharva Purohit)
With Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) workers on an indefinite strike, NMMT saw another opportunity in this case and started expanding their operation radius beyond Navi Mumbai. Navi Mumbai itself is expanding, with the suburban rail now serving Ulwe (Kharkopar) and further planning to reach Uran. The Mumbai Trans-Harbour Sea-Link (MTHL) is being developed in full swing while Navi Mumbai International Airport remains a big Question Mark till date. The residential areas are developing in Ulwe on one hand and Taloja and Shil Phata on the other. Over the years, Ambernath – Badlapur never had their dedicated public transport undertaking and are dependent on NMMT unlike Kalyan – Dombivli who have KDMT to serve their areas. But the Volvos of the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Transport (KDMT) are in miserable condition now and mostly operated from Vasant Valley Depot to Kalyan Railway Station.
NMMT now armed with a variety of Ashok Leyland JanBus, Tata LPO1613, Volvo B7RLE, JBM e12, JBM e9, Eicher Skyline Pro, Tata Starbus Ultra, the newly procured Ashok Leyland SLF CNG and some of their old CNG Buses to choose upon, was ready to tackle these situations.
First things first, the newly procured CNG SLF buses were put into service between Kurla and Bharat Gears Mumbra. This was an invitation to heavy amount of criticism but neither BEST nor TMT focused on this. So NMMT took the non-AC buses and started the service. It turned out to be a success since trains were not accessible for everyone, thereby major public transport commuters were relying on buses.
NMMT’s Tata LPO1613, Ashok Leyland JanBus and SLF CNG at CBD Belapur Railway Station (Picture: Gandharva Purohit)
.
They then started three routes to South Mumbai via the Eastern Freeway. One from Ghansoli Gharonda, one from Kharghar and one to CBD Belapur. These routes included the operations of CNG SLF buses, Volvo B7RLE and JBM e9 combined. When JBM e12 fleet was under trials, few of them were deployed on AC-107 from CBD Bus Station to World Trade Centre as well. Once their JBM e12 finally entered service, many were sent en route Lokmanya Nagar (100), Kalyan (62), Thane CIDCO (1), Bamandongri (17) on day one.
TMT meanwhile was busy playing around with its AC-145 which initially started from Bharat Gears Mumbra to Mumbai CSMT via the Eastern Freeway with just one Volvo sent in the morning and in the evening. This was later extended upto Datta Mandir near Kalyan Phata. It was a time-consuming route and the bus used to run empty. Even the driver didn’t bother to stop until someone requested. With the LED Display off, hardly anyone would notice its presence. Just like its predecessor AC-144 (Cadbury Junction to Mantralaya), it was ultimately shut down. There is a just a single newly-started route that TMT is handling well which is 74 from Thane to Diva Railway Station. Lately, they are running routes 79 and 99 from Mulund Check Naka to Parsik Nagar and Retibunder Kharegaon with a good frequency during peak hours.
NMMT’s Ashok Leyland SLF CNG on Route 58 from CBD Belapur to Khopoli. (Photo: Gandharva Purohit)
NMMT too recently started their route from Thane CIDCO to Diva Railway Station via Digha Village, numbered 86. Thus the Ghansoli depot’s Tata Starbus Ultra midi buses have started competing with TMT’s 2×1 Ashok Leyland diesel midibuses. On the southern end, NMMT had started plying buses from Vashi to Khopoli via Panvel. With the discontinuation of Khopoli Municipal Transport (KMT) service, this route proved to be a saviour. Currently, this route is curtailed up to CBD Belapur Railway Station. During the MSRTC Strike, another route was inaugurated from CBD Belapur. Route 49 to Karjat is operated by Asudgaon Depot via Panvel, Shedung and Chowk becoming the first municipal transport body to enter Karjat.
Conclusion
JNNURM Duo Ashok Leyland CNG of NMMT and BEST at Vashi Railway Station. (Photo: Gandharva Purohit)
NMMT was equally hit by losses during this pandemic but kudos to their planning, they are slowly coming out of this phase. Stretching their arms, there are talks to start buses towards Titwala, Shahapur but as of now, there is no confirmation regarding the same. From 1 September, BEST shrunk their network due to a fleet shortage despite having affordable ticket fares. TMT does not have any electric bus in its fleet as of today but there are talks to procure some of them in future. Once operating the Ashok Leyland buses which were similar to BEST, then the Volvos which are a pride of the undertaking, introducing the JanBus around 2017, rolling out the JBM e9 in late 2019 and the JBM e12 in 2021, NMMT has evolved over time. They have learnt from the mistakes that BEST made and ensured that they do not repeat it. Their Ghansoli Depot although needs improvement since it has roughest bus drivers of the undertaking and a below average maintenance of buses. The future seems bright for NMMT to expand its network since it has “Hit the Iron, when it is Hot”.
There might be several points I missed out. Do let me know about them in the comments section below.
Featured Image: NMMT Volvo on AC131 plying between Borivali and Thane at Waghbill Naka. Ghodbunder Road. (Photo: Gandharva Purohit)
If you are stepping out, make sure you wear a mask, follow COVID Appropriate behavior and keep your hands sanitised.
— ANDHERI LOKHANDWALA OSHIWARA CITIZEN'S ASSOCIATION (@AndheriLOCA) November 17, 2021
The spotting of the hovercraft left many of wondering what it was doing.
Many wondered if it was for trial runs of a potential water transit system, some even suggested that it was there to survey the region for the coastal road (a misnomer since the Coastal Road terminates at Worli and the Versova Bandra Sea Link is being buit near Andheri).
However, on closer examination, the hovercraft looks to be a Griffon Hoverwork 8000TD, manufactured jointly by the Southampton, England-based Griffon Hovercraft and the Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders. It’s primary user in India is the Indian Coast Guard which has several of them parked at the Sarovar Vihar hoverport at Sector 11, CBD Belapur in Navi Mumbai.
The last known update about hovercrafts in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) was from 2019 (when Devendra Fadnavis was still chief minister). Under the Uddhav Thackeray government, only the ro-ro service to Mandwa has been operational.
We wait eagerly for the day when Mumbai can have hovercrafts again. Services existed between 1994 and 1999, operated by Mahindra and Mahindra between Vashi, CBD Belapur and Gharapuri Island (for the Elephanta Caves) but wound up due to lack of proper berthing facilities in Mumbai.
That’s all for now. I apologise for my lack of blogging, I have been recovering from successive bouts of the flu and the Wuhan Virus.
To read my ideas on turning Mankhurd into an integrated road-rail-water transit hub on the lines of the St George Terminal in New York or the Hoboken Terminal in New Jersey, do read this article: Here’s How Mumbai Can Create A Robust Water Transit System
Featured Image: Indian Coast Guard’s Griffon-GRSE 800TD (Sballal/Wikimedia Commons)
If you intend to step out, whether to board on boat, bus or train, please wear a mask, carry sanitizer and maintain social distancing.
Going a step forward in making Mumbai’s public transport (at least the road part) cleaner, the Birhanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking has announced that going forward, all electric buses will be charged using solar power. A report by the Times of India states that a significant amount of this electricity will come from rooftop solar panels installed by BEST’s electricity department consumers.
Under the Government of India’s Grid-Connected Rooftop scheme, electricity consumers can avail of a 40 per cent subsidy on installing panels. BEST is currently catering to 580 kWp (kilowatt peak) of solar power within its operational regions, that is South Bombay (SoBo). The energy generated by consumers is fed back into the grid in return of reductions in their bills.
BEST General Manager Lokesh Chandra has also said that the undertaking will only use Solar and in future wind and hydel power to power their electric fleet. He also said that the undertaking plans to procure the required solar energy to charge 2,100 buses by June 2023 and plans to completely convert its fleet to electric buses by 2027.
In August, BEST had said it plans to supply electricity to charge its buses and in September it had announced plans to open up 55 charging stations at its depots and bus stations for those who want to use them.
Did you know? The world’s first solar-powered bus was the Tindo (Karuna word for sun) in Adelaide, Austrialia. It was introduced in 2007 and is a battery-powered, air-conditioned bus with regenerative braking that can carry 40 passengers. Buses don’t carry solar panels but are charged using solar panels at the central bus station.
BEST is climbing up the electrification ladder quite fast.
If you intend to step out, whether to board on electric bus or not, please wear a mask, carry sanitizer and maintain social distancing.
Featured Image: BEST electric buses (Picture: BJP MLA Yogesh Sagar via Twitter)
Nearly two years after the Birhanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking got its first fleet of mini-buses, another transport body in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) has got them too. The Vasai-Virar Municipal Transport (VVMT) undertaking has got these post-vans too, albeit they are yellow and green in colour.
Why should @myBESTBus have all the fun? 😂😂😂 @VasaiVirarMcorp joins the race to bottom and buys tempos smaller than BEST's Tempos
At a first glance, it looks like the bus is the same Force Motors Smart Citibus that BEST has in its fleet. The only noticeable difference is the absence of a scrolling LED destination board on top, although some BEST buses did join the fleet without the LED display.
While the bus might look non-airconditioned, the presence of what seems to be the air-conditioning unit is visible on top of the bus. The open windows are deceptive, they can be opened in BEST’s minis too.
While many people think these buses are a joke, I personally feel they have their uses. They’re great on short routes such as feeder services, point to point services and low-density routes.
Say hello to the Yellow Postvan of Vasai-Virar. (No connection to the Purple Faeries)
Update: Fellow Transit-fan Gandharva Purohit says that these buses were originally owned by Nishnai Holidays. They are Force Traveller T1 buses, customised by PKN Motors of Bhiwadi, Rajasthan. He also shared an photograph of the inside of these buses, which is quite luxurious. Do check them out.
Nishnai Holidays Force Motors Bus (Pic via Gandharva Purohit) Nishnai Holidays Force Motors Bus (Pic via Gandharva Purohit) Nishnai Holidays Force Motors Bus (Pic via Gandharva Purohit) Nishnai Holidays Force Motors Bus (Pic via Gandharva Purohit)
On 11 October, Aaditya Thackeray flagged off two new routes of the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking. The new routes, while not numbered are point to point services connecting Terminal 2 (T2) of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) with Banda Kurla Complex (BKC) and South Bombay (SoBo) respectively.
Activists claim that the fares are too expensive, which is a separate topic for another day. However, the fare system has run into another form of trouble.
According to a report by the Press Trust of India, the new fares have not been approved by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority (MMRTA). The report states that the BEST committee that approved the fares, but remained mum on whether it had been approved by the MMRTA or not. MMRTA member and Maharashtra Transport Commissioner Avinash Dhakne stated that authority had not received any intimation from BEST on the new fares. The report also added that according to a former member of the Motor Vehicles department, the fare cannot be implemented without a nod from the MMRTA. Another official from the Regional Transport Office (RTO) stated the same.
Fares for regular AC services start at ₹6 for up to 5km, ₹13 for up to 10km and are capped at ₹25. The higher fares for these airport-bound buses did see skepticism on social media.
Apart from social media, the new fares have received flak from corporators in the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) as well. Congress corporator Ravi Raja who also serves on the BEST Committee said that going ahead with the new fare without MMRTA approval was a blunder, remarking that the buses were meant for the ordinary commuter and not the elite class. BJP’s Bhalachandra Shirsat pointed out that under Aaditya Thackeray, BEST was moving in the direction of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC, or ST), which is now facing losses mounting to over ₹6,500 crores (in June 2021) which has in turn resulted in a lack of pay for employees. In the 18 months that the Uddhav Thackeray government has been in power, 27 MSRTC staffers have committed suicide due to financial duress, reportsMid-Day.
Another point of concern is BEST’s focus on SoBo and complete disregard for the suburbs under the current regime. Let us hope BEST cleans up its act soon, lest BEST turns the worst.
Featured Image: BEST’s new Electric Fleet on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link.
If you intend to step out, whether to board on electric bus or not, please wear a mask, carry sanitizer and maintain social distancing.
With ever increasing traffic jams on Mumbai’s streets, an under-construction metro network that is nowhere close to fruition, the city’s public transport agencies have come together to draw out solution from their collective hats – that is subject to them having any.
After reaching no conclusion, some officials opened their phones to draw inspiration. Thanks to YouTube’s amazing recommendation engine, they were soon watching videos on Cartoon Physics, after which a solution presented itself.
Officials of the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking have decided that they will tie up helium balloons to buses in order to make them float above traffic.
A trial run was conducted using the Force Motors Smart Citibus fleet on route A-605 in Bhandup.
FAKING NEWS:
BEST Buses in Mumbai switches to helium balloons to fly over the city traffic and to cut costs of rising diesel prices!
Officials have stated that the plan to use the mini-buses was due to their small size and weight. One official added that the lack of a conductor inside the bus made it even easier for it to float. Further, since these buses are powered by diesel, it made more sense to use them, as fuel will be saved during the journey.
On being asked how the buses will come down at a bus stop, the official said, “All our conductors have been taught how to fly a kite. When a bus approaches a bus stop where the conductor is waiting, he will throw a rope that will attach itself to the axle of the bus and pull it down. We have also made our conductors watch cowboy movies so they know how to use a lasso.”
On being asked how the driver plans to steer the buses, the official retorted, “Steering wheel hai na” to our correspondent.
The Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking will soon rationalise a few bus routes so that they ‘merge’ with others and thus can help commuters change buses easier, reportsShashank Rao for the Free Press Journal.
Under this new hub and spoke model, bus routes will converge at key areas, allowing for streamlined traffic and better changeovers for passengers. In order to implement this plan, the undertaking will require 4,852 buses. It currently has only 3,242.
What all does the plan entail?
The plan involves five nodal points each in the island city and Western suburbs and four in the Eastern suburbs. They are Colaba, Backbay, Worli, Mahim and Dadar in the south, Bandra, Santacruz, Goregaon, Dindoshi and Dahisar in the West and Sion, Mulund, Anushakti Nagar and Ghatkopar in the East. Different routes will converge at these nodal points, allowing passengers to seamlessly change routes.
Further, bus operations will be divided into five corridors. There is a main corridor, a sub-corridor, an east-west corridor and rail-feeder corridor. The last one will also see an expansion once Metro Lines 2 and 7 are operational.
What is the hub and spoke model?
The hub and spoke model, as opposed to the point-to-point model is where a certain geographical region has a point that acts as a hub. Multiple routes converge at the hub , thus allowing an exchange of passengers from one route to another. The model is heavily used in aviation where flights along lesser served routes arrive at a hub and passengers then transfer to another flight.
In the current context, an example of the hub and spoke model (partially) would be people taking the suburban line to either Andheri or Ghatkopar and then boarding the Metro Line 1.
BEST’s plan to go for a hub and spoke model would augur well for commuters.
Featured Image: Buses parked at Agarkar Chowk in 2018, viewed from the skywalk by Srikanth Ramakrishnan
In a bid to boost the usage of electric vehicles (EVs) in the city, the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking has decided to establish 55 EV charging stations at various bus depots and stops, reportsThe Free Press Journal. BEST General Manager Lokesh Chandra stated that these charging points will be made accessible to private vehicles as well.
BEST has 386 EVs in its fleet currently and not all of its 27 depots have charging facilities. Options for both slow and fast charging will be made available for those who want to use the charging points. The report also adds that according to Vahan, there are 2,143 EVs registered in four RTOs (Tardeo, Andheri, Borivali and Wadala) in Mumbai.
It currently takes six hours for BEST buses to charge completely, which may pose a hurdle considering that the undertaking is looking at procuring 1,900 electric buses by 2023. BEST’s current fleet consists of electric buses manufactured by Olectra (formerly Goldstone), and Tata Motors (Tata Starbus and Tata Marcopolo).
In a report for Mid-Day last month, transport experts felt that BEST could supply the electricity to its depots for charging EVs in order to reduce costs and more importantly, improve finances of the electricity supply division of the undertaking. Buses are currently heavily subsidised by the Central Government’s Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India (FAME India) Scheme.
This electrifying plan looks quite like the BEST idea for BEST right now.
Feautured Image: BEST’s Olectra Bus by Yash Mhadgut.
If you intend to step out, whether to board on electric bus or not, please wear a mask, carry sanitizer and maintain social distancing.
