Mumbai's BEST was once considered the best-operated public bus transport service in the country. But of late something seems to be seriously wrong. Maintenance is poor and that's leading to safety risks.
Travelling in most of these buses isn't very uncomfortable these days, as a lot of seats in many of the buses are either broken or unstable. The bucket type seats in the new fleet of buses are mostly broken—broken handles with protruding rods that could injure standing passengers if the driver applies the break suddenly.
Sometimes a broken seat is replaced, but not with a new one. Seats of old buses are fitted. Here it should be mentioned that some of the old buses with old types of seats are better than the new ones, despite their age.
Authorities however seem to be looking the other way for reasons best known to them.
"Old seats were better. Bucket seats eat into the legroom and also break easily. This is a public transport undertaking and is expected to keep basic standards of safety. If they can't do that, they shouldn't be operating buses," said Winnie Saldanha, a daily commuter.
Bharat Rajoriya, a Lalbaug resident who travels daily, said: "Old style seats are more comfortable. BEST should replace all bucket seats with old-style seats which are also long lasting. Looks like the management has vested interest in procuring buses that are fitted with bucket seats. May be they can make money while replacing then time and again."
Gyanmurti Sharma, BMC corporator, said: "I have received complains from commuters about broken seats and poor maintenance of buses. I have written to the BEST general manager asking him to take measures to maintain buses.
Hanumant Gophane, BEST public relation officer, said: "We maintain our fleet of buses regularly. Someone must have given you wrong information."
When this reporter sent him photographs of broken seats, he said: "You should note down the bus number as well, so that we can inform the bus depot concerned for getting them repaired."
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