The colourful paper tickets that make most Mumbaikars nostalgic, are in fact quite a bane for the BEST conductors. The 12,000-odd conductors have been provided with leather bags — similar in shape and size to the one where they keep money — instead of metal boxes. The outcome? Given the hassle in issuing a ticket, many passengers are easily getting away with ticket-less travel.
On Tuesday, the issue was raised in a committee meeting where the members questioned the ill-preparedness of BEST administration. "Conductors have complained that it has become very difficult to hold the ticket blocs and issue them. The administration has distributed metal boxes as ticket holders across various depots," said Suhas Samant, member BEST Committee and president of BEST Kaamgar Sena.
Samant also carried a makeshift box made of veneer and wood, which is used to keep ticket blocs. Sources said these leather bags are difficult to deal with. It's similar to the ones in which coins and notes are kept and at times, both ticket blocs and money are kept together.
The conductors, due to the low denomination mentioned on tickets, have to clip more than one ticket to a single passenger even during rush hours. Due to this, either the passenger alights without purchasing the ticket or pulls up the conductor for delay in issuing the ticket.
"Since the bags are fragile, conductors fear losing the blocs in a rush, which contain tickets worth Rs 15,000 at times," said Anil Kokil, member, BEST Committee.
In each bag, there are around 10 blocs containing coloured tickets of various denominations. The BEST administration has dumped close to 3,000 metal boxes in which paper tickets were kept before electronic ticket machines were introduced. "I will personally look into the issue. I will also speak to the conductors during my visits to depots," said Surendra Bagde, General Manager, BEST Undertaking.
