Mumbai Bus Fares Set To Rise As BMC Clears BEST’s Hike Plan

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport undertaking has secured the approval of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for its proposal to raise bus fares, a senior official said on Monday.

If cleared by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority, the fare hike will double the minimum ticket price for BEST’s non-air-conditioned and air-conditioned buses to Rs 10 and Rs 12, respectively, for the initial 5 km.

The cash-strapped transport body has also sought to remove the current fare cap of Rs 20 for non-AC and Rs 25 for AC buses on journeys beyond 20 km, the official told PTI.

“Bhushan Gagrani, BMC commissioner-cum-administrator, has given approval to BEST’s proposed fare hike, which now will go to the MMRTA for final approval,” the official said, adding that BMC’s go-ahead is a mandatory first step.

BEST buses, considered the arteries of Mumbai’s public transport system, are a lifeline for more than 30 lakh commuters across the city and its extended suburbs.

While fares are set to rise, passengers already face daily hurdles due to a depleted fleet. A contractor tasked with supplying 2,100 electric buses to BEST by May 2023 has delivered only 536 units so far, according to a separate PTI report from Sunday.

The delay, attributed to disruptions in battery-fitted chassis supplies from Chinese partner BYD, has forced BEST to scale down services and operate with fewer buses, leading to longer waiting times and overcrowding.

The remaining e-buses are now expected to arrive by August 2025, the contractor firm Olectra Greentech has assured.

(With text inputs from PTI).