BEST green shelters may soon sport solar panels on rooftop

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking plans to take its green bus stops initiative a notch higher by installing solar panels on their rooftops. They will not only light up the space for passengers, but also provide mobile phone recharging options as they wait for transportation to arrive.

Confirming this development, BEST General Manager, Lokesh Chandra, told First India, “We have decided to take up 350 (bus stop) locations and model them around the green bus stop concept that has been implemented at the Mahalaxmi racecourse precinct in South Mumbai and also near Famous Studios in Bandra. We will also consider installing solar panels on these green bus stops to offer further amenities to passengers.” The Undertaking may scale up to 1,000 bus stops, it is learnt.

Chandra rescinded the tenders for marketing and advertising rights of approximately 2,400 bus stops across Mumbai city on Thursday. But, he is now confident that when fresh bids are invited again, they will be bereft of anomalies that were discovered in the last bidding process. They will also ensure that a much higher revenue stream is generated for the cashstrapped BEST.

“While we had fixed a base price of `20 crore for the bus stops, we received two fresh bids for the bus stops (marketing and publicity rights). That compelled us to enhance this base price in forthcoming bids for the green bus stops in Mumbai,” said Chandra.

He refuted claims that additional time is needed to invite and finalize fresh bids, which would mean a revenue loss for the BEST. “Only around 60 to 700 bus shelters out of the 2,400 are currently available for marketing. A major segment is still contracted till the end of the year and earning revenue for the BEST. There is no such accruing loss till the fresh bid is finalized,” he said.

With additional aspects such as solar panels, phone battery chargers being installed at the green bus shelters, immense potential will open up in terms of advertising and marketing rights. And that is likely to be reflected in the vastly enhanced bids that will be received in coming days.