Mumbai (The Hindu): To attract more people to use BEST buses, the transport body has decided to hold interactions with commuters to understand their problems and invite their suggestions to improve the quality of bus service. BEST officials and bus depot managers of Colaba, Backbay, Mumbai Central, Worli, Wadala and Bandra have scheduled direct meetings with commuters on January 3 at 11 am.

“BEST wants to win the trust of people, increase the number of people using the facility, and improve our turnover. The meetings were started this year and the third round will be held in January. Such interactions will be held every two months. The face-to-face discussions help us understand the needs of commuters. The routes they want and the routes need to be diverted or stopped altogether,” BEST’s public relations officer Hanumant Gophane told The Hindu . After consolidating the comments and suggestions received through the interactions, the BEST review committee holds a review every four months and implements changes. In 2015, around 35 lakh people used the public utility.

This figure has seen a dip by nearly five lakh. For 2016-2017, BEST has estimated profit of only Rs 1 lakh. The estimated income for 2016-2017 is Rs 6666.52 crore and expenditure of Rs 6666.51 crore, leaving only Rs 1 lakh in the undertaking’s kitty. A shortfall of Rs 355 crore is expected to be covered by income from the sale of power and transport fare.