14 September,2023 07:45 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
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The Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) announced that Mumbai will soon have 900 AC Double-decker buses in the next nine months. In a press statement released by BEST, the authority stated that at present, a total of 35 air-conditioned double-decker buses are included in the fleet. Of these, 16 air-conditioned double-decker buses are being operated today.
"For the convenience of passengers, four new air-conditioned double-decker buses will be introduced soon in south Mumbai and 15 in Mumbai suburbs in the next period. These buses are environment friendly and there is no noise or air pollution from these buses," the BEST official informed.
The air-conditioned double-decker bus has automatic entrances on both sides, providing great convenience to the passengers. Also, for security, a CCTV facility has been provided on the bus.
Since the year 1937, the BEST has been providing double-decker bus services to the passengers. Before this, non-air-conditioned buses were being operated by the BEST. "Keeping in mind the urgency of the people, the BEST has included new air-conditioned double-decker buses in its fleet. Purchase Order to supply a total of 200 air-conditioned double-decker buses, has been given to Switch Mobility, of which 35 have already been received and the remaining buses will be received by the end of March 2024. Similarly, Harit Mobility has been given the Purchase Order to supply 700 air-conditioned buses and from this organisation 50 buses will be received in the month of December 2023 and 100 buses in every month from January 2024 to June 2024 and 50 buses in July 2024," the BEST press release stated.
A total of 900 air-conditioned double-decker bus services will be provided to the commuters of Mumbai by the end of July 2024 by the BEST.
"The service of 900 air-conditioned double-decker buses will be operated from various 12 bus depots in Mumbai. So that the maximum people of in Mumbai can
avail of the service of these buses. The BEST has also modernised the bus operation by always taking into consideration the preferences of passengers in Mumbai. At every stage, an attempt has been made to provide up-to-date bus services to the passengers by changing the bus operation as per the times," the authority stated.
Speaking about the non-air-conditioned double-decker buses, the BEST authority stated, "The existing non-air-conditioned double-decker buses are being phased out due to the end of their useful life and new air-conditioned electric double-decker buses are being introduced. It is being appealed on behalf of the BEST that the passengers should make use of the new air-conditioned double-decker buses being operated by BEST."
