Not the 'BEST' cover-up job

While it has been a fortnight since the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) hiked bus fare, the passenger amenities remain in a pitiable state. It has been observed that multi-coloured cloth is being used to cover torn seats.

Glad rags: Multi-coloured cloth being used as seat covers on bus no 400, which runs between Samata Nagar, Kandivli and Borivli station (East). Pic/Shashank Rao

According to BEST Passenger Welfare Association, such poor condition of seats is only restricted to far suburbs. "It's not only the old seats, even the new bucket seats are ill-maintained. Moreover, the gap between the new seats is less, giving passengers less seating space," said P Sakpal, a member of the association.

Apart form the passenger association, even the BEST committee members are unhappy with the apathetic attitude exhibited by the undertaking. "The administration must ensure that passenger amenities are not compromised on. With fares going up, it's time the administration makes necessary changes," said Ravi Raja, a BEST committee member.

Officialspeak
"We are trying to improve on the passenger amenities as much as we can. We have not changed the colour coding of seats and will surely look into the matter," said a BEST officialu00a0