In its budget estimate for the 2025-26 fiscal, the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) has set an ambitious target of achieving a 100% zero emission electric fleet by 2026-27, with the aim to induct 8,000 electric buses by 2027.
On Friday, the cash-strapped BEST, an undertaking of the BMC, tabled its budget estimate of Rs 9,439.56 crore for the next financial year to civic chief Bhushan Gagr.. It has sought financial aid of Rs 2,132.52 crore from the civic body for FY 2025-26 and plans to use a major portion of the funds for procuring more buses and achieving its ambitious target of going ‘all green’ among other initiatives.
“It’s high time that the BEST should merge with the BMC. The losses are increasing day-by-day. The undertaking should improve its services, fill vacant positions in its power section and decrease dependency on private contractors (wet-lease) for buses,” said Ravi Raja, long-time BEST committee member and opposition leader in the BMC.
Ravi Raja former opposition leader said, “The BEST lacks coordination with the BMC. When there are hardly 2,000 buses in its existing fleet, how its going to procure 7,000 buses in one year,” asked Raja. The BEST made a loss of around Rs1,600 crore last year, which has ballooned to Rs2,083 crore this year, he underlined, adding that the undertaking should rework its plan for the next 5-10 years.
As per the BEST’s budget estimate document, the undertaking plans to have 50% of electric buses in its fleet in 2025-26. The current strength is 3,166, including 2,081 rental vehicles, while the daily ridership stands at a massive 35 lakh.
The BEST also plans to focus more on the ‘tap-in, tap-out’ system onboard. The primary objective of this tech-savvy scheme is to enhance the passenger experience by using automated fare collection and providing an eco-friendly bus ticketing system to Mumbaikars.
KEY NUMBERS
8,000
Electric buses to be procured by 2027
Rs9,439.56 crore
Budget estimate for FY 2025-26
35 lakh
Daily ridership
3,166
Existing fleet
2,081
Rental buses
