The latest RTI figures have revealed that BEST’s own fleet is down to nearly 1,000 buses, with 2,200-plus buses taken by the undertaking on wet lease (contractor-owned with their staff). The data also reveals that BEST no longer has any double-decker buses of its own, and the 50 electric ones running are also on wet lease.

Furthermore , 83 more old self-owned buses have been lined up for scrap by December 2024, more wet-leased buses will be procured soon. On the positive side, it has also revealed that there has been no drop in bus ridership recently. “This is blatant discrimination. Almost a lakh crore is being spent on Metro rail, which has such a poor record, and they are starving BEST, causing misery to millions,” said Vidyadhar Date, a transport activist from AMAB.