Private operators tie up with corporates, plan 1,200 buses in Mumbai

MUMBAI: Apart from 2,500 BEST and 150 MSRTC buses catering to office-goers, private operators will run 1,200 buses for corporates from Monday.
The chartered services are for private companies to ensure staff reach office safely and on time. The buses will reduce the load on BEST, which has been catering to rush of commuters, with social distancing norms being violated in some buses. Nearly 30 lakh commuters were ferried by BEST buses this week.
Harsh Kotak of Mumbai Bus Malak Sanghatana said, "We will provide additional private bus service to office-goers as part of our tie-up with corporates. We will ensure social distancing and ferry only 25 passengers per bus with no standees." BEST permits five standees.
"We hope more private buses will lessen the burden on public transport. Our buses will ply from Virar-Nalasopara and Kalyan-Dombivli," he said. He said tourist and luxury bus operators were willing to offer vehicles for point-to-point services to BKC and Churchgate, and requested BEST to hire the buses and issue tickets at boarding points. BEST is yet to take a decision, he said.
State transport minister Anil Parab told TOI the government could permit private buses if needed. "State transport department has been running additional buses on long routes such as Kalyan-Dombivli and Vasai-Virar to Mumbai to ferry emergency staff, and it may help reduce crowding in other buses. A review of bus services will be taken on Monday," said Parab.
On allowing private buses to take regular passengers in Mumbai, he said, "Allowing passengers in private buses is under consideration. Private buses will be allowed only if required. If we feel BEST and ST buses are not enough to cope up with the passengers by maintaining social distancing, we will consider an option of allowing private buses, after the review meeting."