MUMBAI: BEST’s ailing transport wing, which suffered a series of setbacks due to mounting losses and a drop in ridership from 45 lakh to 25 lakh over a decade, expects to reverse the trend going by the positive response to its fare reduction.
On Tuesday, commuters found it convenient to fish out Rs 5 coins for the conductor, but many who didn’t yet know of the fare cut had come with Rs 10 and Rs 20 notes for minimum fare. College student Zainab (20), who commutes from Colaba to Mazgaon, said, “I do not know why the prices have been reduced since BEST is suffering losses. For me it is a good thing as being a student I am happy to save money wherever I can.”
Some commuters didn’t mind the queues. “I simply feel excited holding this historic ticket and have tweeted a picture to friends and relatives,” said Arnab Dey, an office-goer from Nariman Point. According to an estimate, BEST’s fare reduction will save office-goers Rs 3,000-12,000 annually.
