December 23: Mumbaiites desirous of travelling in posh air-conditioned buses may have to wait for another two months, as the Bombay Electricity and Suburban Transport Undertaking (BEST) has still not received the first batch of five AC buses from manufacturers Ashok Leyland Limited (Chennai).

BEST additional general manager M A Shanbhag said the five buses which were supposed to become operational by December 15, 1997, ``will arrive only by the end of this month. We intend to operate all the 25 buses on Mumbai's roads by the end of January 31, 1998, '' he said.

After the failure of a proposal last year to operate buses owned by a leading autodealer, BEST authorities received another proposal from Ashok Leyland to operate one AC bus on an experimental basis to assess its feasibility and passenger response.

Accordingly, one bus was operated between NCPA and Yari Road for more than two months. This experiment evoked a good response, and BEST was forced to accommodate standees on the bus. Following this, an order for 25 new buses was placed with Ashok Leyland, and the first batch was to arrive by the first week of December. But it still hasn't arrived.

These buses, estimated to cost Rs 22 lakhs each, will be operated on a ``stage system,'' which the BEST monopolises in Mumbai's public transport.Asked if standees would be allowed on the buses, Shanbhag replied, ``We are not permitted to allow standees by transport authorities.''

The buses will have the same seats as those fitted on luxury non-AC buses. The airconditioning unit will be the only difference.

Vinay Mohan Lal, BEST general manager, had earlier said he intends to save the cost per bus by removing the high back seats and installing normal low back seats with support bars. About this, Shanbhag said, ``Lal is right, because the maximum time a passenger spends on a BEST bus is one hour. We don't think high back seats will serve any purpose.''

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.