MUMBAI: Nearly 47% commuters are yet to claim their mobile phones left behind in the BEST buses in 2020, especially while travelling during the Covid pandemic. The statistics released by BEST show that in 2020, BEST employees recovered a total 798 mobile phones from the buses.
“Of the total phones recovered, 340 mobiles have been claimed by the commuters while 458 phones are still lying in the BEST Lost & Found department,’‘ said BEST spokesperson Manoj Varade.
He has appealed to citizens to come forward with a valid proof and claim the devices, else, it could go for auction. As per the BEST data, in April 2020, not a single phone was claimed by the owners. At the same time, a month later, in May 2020, all the nine mobile phones recovered from the buses were claimed.
The highest recovery was made during January 2020 (99 phones), while the lowest recovery was made during May 2020 (9 phones), Varade said. While honest conductors will be given rewards, the BEST also plans to soon auction some of the phones.
Mobile phones come second in the top 10 list of lost items in red buses every month. While cash is still the “numero uno” missing item, other missing articles included jewellery, sunglasses, books, umbrellas and also TV and laptop computers.