Mumbai News: BEST Considers Fare Restructuring Amid Falling Ridership; Short-Distance Fares Likely To Be Reduced

Mumbai: More than a month after doubling its minimum fares, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking is now looking to restructure its fare system to attract regular commuters, particularly those travelling short distances.

Although the proposal is still in the planning stage, an official said the undertaking is actively working on a more dynamic fare model, which could include new slabs and fare reductions for shorter routes.

Speaking to The Free Press Journal on Thursday, BEST General Manager SVR Srinivas confirmed that the proposal is under active review. “It’s not just about a fare reduction per se. We are exploring the possibility of making the fare structure more dynamic by adding more slabs wherever necessary from time to time. This will take into account the fares of Intermediate Public Transport and other factors.“ further added Srinivas.

According to sources, a high-level meeting of BEST officials was recently convened to assess the impact of the fare revision introduced in May 2025. Among the key proposals discussed were fare cuts for short routes and further rationalisation of bus routes to improve efficiency and last-mile connectivity.

"The fare hike implemented last month aligned BEST’s short-distance fares closely with those of shared auto-rickshaws, leading many commuters to shift to quicker and more frequent auto services. Consequently, daily ridership figures have plummeted" said sources.

BEST carried 59.5 million passengers in May 2025—translating to an average daily ridership of nearly 2 million. In contrast, May 2024 saw 80.8 million passengers, with a daily average of 2.6 million. Prior to the fare hike, BEST’s daily ridership regularly touched between 3 and 3.2 million passengers.

As per the existing fare chart, non-AC bus passengers are now charged Rs 10 for distances up to 5 km, while AC bus passengers pay Rs 12 for the same distance. The fare hike was expected to boost annual revenue by Rs 590 crore, but the sharp drop in ridership has cast doubt on those projections.

Apart from that, BEST is once again considering route rationalisation. Recently, over 30 bus routes were modified. According to an official, "We are focusing on improving last‑mile connectivity, and in line with this, we are planning to make changes to the bus routes where needed."

Currently BEST Undertaking is also experiencing a sharp decline in its owned bus fleet. As of June 1, it owns just 437 buses, which make up only 17% of its total operational fleet of 2,594 buses. The remaining 2,157 buses—accounting for 83%—are operated through wet-lease agreements with private contractors.

However, this isn't the first time the BEST administration has reviewed its fare structure. In 2019, the administration had also reduced fares to attract more passengers after a previous hike had led to a decline in ridership.