Mumbai’s BEST bus revenue rose by Rs 497.25 crore to Rs 2,137 crore in 2025-26 after fares were increased, even as daily ridership fell by between 2 lakh and 4 lakh passengers, according to figures presented at a BEST committee meeting on Wednesday.
The transport department’s revenue stood at Rs 1,640 crore in 2024-25. Its increase to Rs 2,137 crore reduced the department’s loss by Rs 540.46 crore, officials said. The figures cover the period after BEST raised its minimum bus fares in May 2025.
The minimum fare for non-air-conditioned buses was increased from Rs 5 to Rs 10, while the minimum fare for air-conditioned buses rose from Rs 6 to Rs 12. Following the increase, the number of daily passengers declined from between 25 lakh and 27 lakh to approximately 21 lakh to 23 lakh.
Despite the fall in passenger numbers, ticket revenue increased. BEST officials attributed the improvement to higher fares, increased income from wet-lease buses, other revenue and greater financial assistance from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.
BEST currently operates 2,834 buses, of which only 249 are owned by the undertaking. The remaining buses are operated under wet-lease arrangements. Ticket revenue from wet-lease buses increased by Rs 235.30 crore, while ticket revenue from BEST-owned buses declined by Rs 6.31 crore, according to the figures presented to the committee.
Revenue from reserved bus services increased by Rs 2.65 crore, while income from monthly bus passes rose by only Rs 0.42 crore. The figures indicate that the increase in overall transport revenue was driven primarily by higher collections from wet-lease operations and the fare revision, rather than by growth in ridership or monthly-pass income.
The BMC grant to BEST’s bus department also increased during the period. The municipal corporation provided Rs 794.52 crore in 2024-25, compared with Rs 1,000 crore in 2025-26, an increase of Rs 205.48 crore. BEST has sought an additional Rs 350 crore from the BMC, while the civic body has provided more than Rs 800 crore to the undertaking so far this year, according to the report.
The overall loss of the BEST undertaking fell to about Rs 740 crore in 2025-26 from approximately Rs 1,361 crore in 2024-25, a reduction of around Rs 739.97 crore. Officials said the bus department’s financial position improved even when the BMC assistance was considered separately.
BEST had estimated that the fare increase could generate approximately Rs 590 crore in additional ticket revenue over a full year. Officials said the complete impact of the fare revision would be clearer in the next set of accounts, after the higher fares have applied for an entire financial year.
