The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking has taken a further hit, with the ridership at an all time low of 28.62 lakh. As per the data compiled by BEST's traffic department, the average daily ridership in June 2015 was as low as 28,62,697. In the recent years, the lowest average daily ridership recorded was 29,90,173 in May 2014.
In January 2012, the average daily ridership was 41,76,876, whereas in June 2012 it was 37,33,605. According to an official, the reason is schools open only mid-June and many city families go on a holiday.
Meanwhile, BEST General Manager Dr Jagdish Patil said, "On September 1, when the taxi unions went on strike, Rs3.85 crore was from the sale of tickets only and did not include the revenue generated from smart cards. Nearly 30.27 lakh passengers preferred our buses for road commute." Likewise, Rs3.72 crore went into BEST's cash box from ticket sales on September 2, the second day of the strike, when 29.10 lakh passengers boarded buses.
"During the two days of taxi strike, roads were also clear resulting in better operations for our buses. This only proves the need for dedicated bus lanes, not only to improve BEST's financial condition, but also to provide cheaper and time-saving road commute to Mumbaikars," said Dr Patil.
