Mumbai’s public bus service, once considered the city’s most affordable and reliable mass transit option, is struggling under the dual strain of rising fares and shrinking fleet capacity.
As per internal updates, over 400 of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST)’s buses are set to be retired by November 2025, while the much-anticipated delivery of 2,100 electric buses ordered in 2022 remains stuck in delays. Despite deteriorating services, ticket fares have been hiked by up to ₹15, signalling a distressing trend for lakhs of daily commuters.The fare revision, recently approved by Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, is BEST’s first in six years. While the administration cites mounting operational costs as the reason, citizens say the move is tone-deaf given the current service quality. With waiting times now stretching to 25–30 minutes during peak hours—more than double the ideal 10–12 minutes—many commuters feel left in the lurch.
BEST currently owns about 650 buses, and scrapping 400 of them without an immediate replacement plan is expected to worsen connectivity across the city’s densely populated suburbs.A senior spokesperson from BEST confirmed that the undertaking has not invested in purchasing buses for its own fleet and is entirely dependent on wet lease contracts. Out of the 2,100 electric buses ordered nearly two years ago, only 500 have been inducted into service so far. The rest, which were expected within a year of the order, are now projected to arrive by April 2026. Officials blame global supply chain disruptions—particularly the scarcity of critical components used in electric buses—as the key reason for the delay.
The financial arithmetic behind the transition is also under pressure. With a single CNG bus priced at approximately ₹60 lakh and an electric AC bus at ₹1.8 crore, BEST’s limited capital budget has pushed it towards lease-based models. But this dependency has proven risky, especially during past strikes by wet-lease staff, which brought public transport in some corridors to a grinding halt. Commuter rights groups argue that the state-run service must maintain its own resilient fleet to ensure city-wide transit equity.Activists warn that this imbalance between fare and service could drive working-class commuters toward costlier and less eco-friendly transport options like autorickshaws and taxis.
“Raising fares without resolving the bus shortage is unfair to citizens. What are we paying more for?” asked Anil Gagali, a public transport campaigner. He added that the authorities should have prioritised frequency improvements before revising fares. Former BEST committee member Ravi Raja, however, defended the hike, stating that aligning fares with operational costs is essential for long-term viability.
Meanwhile, the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Transport Authority (MMRTA) recently held a meeting to discuss the implications of the fare revision. BEST officials said they are awaiting updates from that discussion. But for now, there seems to be little relief in sight for the average Mumbaikar waiting in the sweltering sun for a bus that may never arrive on time.If Mumbai is to embrace a truly sustainable, equitable urban future, authorities must focus not only on electrification but also on fleet adequacy, rider affordability, and frequency assurance. Public transport cannot be allowed to fall victim to financial constraints and bureaucratic delays—especially in a city that moves on wheels.
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Mumbai bus riders hit by fare hike and delays
