Coming soon, white paper on public transport in Mumbai
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The report will present recommendations to the state govt regarding the enhancement of BEST's financial status and operational efficiency in Mumbai, while improving services for passengers using premium aggregator buses such as Cityflo and inter-state buses.
A meeting was convened by MITRA on Wednesday, with participation from CEO Pravin Pardeshi, BEST general manager SVR Srinivas, WRI India representatives, and various transport specialists and analysts.
The discussions included proposals for BEST to utilise private school and corporate buses during their inactive periods for transporting passengers on shorter routes. This arrangement would provide additional income for private operators while helping BEST, whose fleet reached its lowest point in 15 years, to service feeder routes, particularly near railway and Metro stations with continuous passenger flow.
Another proposal discussed at Wednesday's meeting involved developing space above BEST depots, allocating two floors for BEST offices whilst designating remaining floors for commercial use, ensuring steady revenue for the financially constrained organisation. This concept draws from Japanese cities where land resources generate supplementary income for public transport operations.
A recent MITRA meeting also explored the possibility of allowing premium aggregator buses to park in designated areas within BEST depots. This arrangement would provide parking facilities for private operators to expand their fleet whilst generating revenue for BEST through substantial parking fees. The meeting suggested the development of underground and multi-deck parking facilities at BEST's 27 depots to increase capacity.
All these will be part of the white paper being prepared in order to revive BEST, streamline private bus operations, and improve services for commuters for all categories of buses.
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