Mumbai: BEST presented a Rs 1,317 crore deficit budget for 2027-28 in the committee meeting on Wednesday, with the budget proposal placing commuter safety at the core of its modernisation strategy.
The overall BEST deficit for 2027-28 is against total revenue estimate of Rs 8,559 crore and expenditure of Rs 9,876 crore. The undertaking has earmarked Rs 648 crore towards capital expenditure. Presented by general manager (additional charge) Prajakta Verma, the budget announced plans to set up state-of-the-art bus driving simulators for crash prevention, cameras to monitor driver behaviour, and route and schedule management to minimise wait at bus stops and augment bus frequency. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Mumbai | Silver Rate in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai | Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Petrol Price in Mumbai | Diesel Price in Mumbai | CNG Price in Mumbai | LPG Price in Mumbai Stay updated with the latest Mumbai news.
“Upgraded Real-Time Passenger Information Systems (PIS) and Automatic Vehicle Location Systems (AVLS) will provide accurate bus arrival updates for commuters on the mobile apps,” the budget said. On mobile ticketing, the budget said that in the near future, ticket facilities will be available through many apps like Chartr, Whatsapp, Redbus, Rapido, Namma Yatri, among others. To make daily journeys faster and more reliable, advanced route and schedule management systems will be implemented to optimise planning, augment bus frequency on high-demand routes, reduce crowding, and minimise wait times. Recognising the risks of digitised operations, BEST is establishing a dedicated Security Operations Centre (SOC) to continuously monitor network traffic, identify potential cyber threats, and safeguard critical digital infrastructure, with critical networks like the Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) being high-value targets. Download the TOI App.
BEST plans to expand its current bus fleet from 2,834 buses to 4,016, with an ultimate target of reaching 10,000 buses. Under the Centre’s PM-eDrive scheme, 1,500 midi buses will be procured, alongside floating of tenders for 200 midi CNG buses. Open-top double-decker buses will also be introduced for heritage tourism.
BEST will set up a dedicated centre to identify cyber threats to its assets and power distribution network across the island city. The budget does not mention any fare hike for bus commuters. “Simulators will be set up for training drivers, especially of wet lease buses, at the Dindoshi training centre. These simulators will offer advanced risk-free driver training, enabling drivers to practise handling severe weather conditions, improve hazard perception skills, and ultimately reduce the rate of accidents (which has seen a surge in recent months). Safety is further reinforced under the Integrated Transport Management System (ITMS), which will have cameras installed to monitor driver behaviour during operations, monitored by a central command and control centre,” the budget mentioned. BEST also plans to induct hop-on, hop-off (HOHO) service for tourists across the city by next year’s end. On the power front, the electric supply division is strengthening its infrastructure under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), including replacing transformers, circuit breakers, and sub-transmission cables, alongside implementing ADMS to reduce outage durations, the budget copy stated.