BRTS cannot succeed in Mumbai unless authorities take huge efforts
Introduction:
BRTS (Bus Rapid Transit System) was started by Best in Mumbai by introducing Long buses with cushion seats, conditioners that keep you cool in the hottest weather outside and running right across from Backbay (South Mumbai) to Dahisar (North Mumbai) - from one end to other end of the city. Pricing is pretty comfortable for an air - conditioned bus at Rs. 65 from Backbay to Dahisar (check the BEST website which says 55 but the conductors charge 65). The minimum charges are Rs. 10.
The bus is deputed in the mornings and the evenings from Monday to Saturday - targeted at the car owner who uses his / her vehicle to travel to work.
Practical Problems:
The absence of a dedicated lane for the Long bus (which is seemingly impossible in Mumbai or in any city in India) makes the travel a long 3 hrs from Backbay to Dahisar - the time in which you can reach Pune, thanks to the expressway. But in Mumbai, if you are returning from work - 3 hours, trust me, tend to be extremely long. BEST estimates a time limit of 2 hours which can still be long. The other alternative, the bone-crushing travel in the local train which is faster at 1 hour but totally strains you out - Air condition is out of question but getting a place would also be difficult in the local train.
Epilogue:
The fact that it takes more than double the time to travel between the same places, the travel being extremely relaxing with those super efficient suspensions but in this world where people are always short of time, the pleasing environment inside the bus might not help lure mass Mumbaikars.
