BEST plans to ply 37 Tejaswini buses exclusively for women

Mumbai : In a bid to ensure comfortable and safe travel for women commuters, BEST will add 37 Tejaswini buses to its fleet and ply these on major routes in the city and suburbs, a senior official said on Tuesday.

Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) is already running a few ladies special buses on major routes, one of which is a double-decker bus between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus-National Center for the Performing Arts(NCPA).

"We will be procuring 37 Tejaswini buses by the end of this month and once we get these, we will them ply them exclusively for women commuters," he said, adding that initially, these 35-seater non-AC diesel buses, will be plied during peak hours in the morning and evening.

"Considering the increase in female workforce and rise in the number of girl students travelling in buses, we have decided to run more ladies special buses," deputy public relations officer of BEST Manoj Varade said. Tejaswini buses will be plied on routes that witness increased footfall of women commuters, he added.

After reducing fares in July this year, the transport body has seen a spurt in ridership, which has gone up to 33 lakh daily, from 27 lakh in May this year.