Officials reported that the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) declared on Thursday that bus fares would increase starting on Friday, May 9. They said that the price increase would apply to both BEST buses with air conditioning (AC) and those without. Officials have stated that the non-AC bus ticket minimum fee will increase from Rs 5 to Rs 10, and the maximum fare will increase from Rs 20 to Rs 60. According to them, the lowest cost for AC buses will increase from Rs 6 to Rs 12, and the highest fare will increase from Rs 25 to Rs 65.
BEST Bus Fare Hike: How much will a basic bus ticket cost more?A five-kilometer ticket currently costs Rs 5, but it will soon cost Rs 10.Instead of paying Rs 10 for a 10-kilometer route, Rs 15 will be required.The ticket cost will be Rs 20 for a 15-kilometer journey and Rs 30 for a 20-kilometer journey.
To what extent will the cost of air-conditioned bus tickets rise?At the moment, a ticket costs Rs 6 for a 5 km journey. It will now be Rs 12 following the increase.In a similar vein, Rs 20 will be required in lieu of Rs 13 for a 10 km journey, and Rs 30 will be required in lieu of Rs 19 for a 15 km journey. For a 20-kilometer journey, a ticket will cost Rs 35.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was there at a crucial meeting that was held last month at Sahyadri Guest House to discuss the financial crisis that the struggling BEST project was facing. The BEST administration stressed the necessity of a fare hike to stabilise operations during this discussion. After that, the BEST administration and then the BMC Commissioner approved the proposed fare increase. The Transport and Urban Development Departments must now approve the final implementation.
Since the latest fee adjustments were made in 2019, the BEST ticket price increase is the first significant reform. The BEST bus fleet currently has 2,186 vehicles and a daily passenger count of about 31 lakh. A reorganisation of ticket stages coincides with the rise, which is anticipated to affect the way costs are determined across different distances.