India, Jan. 22 -- Twenty new electric buses that are supposed to be drafted into the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) fleet have been lying idle inside BEST's Shivaji Nagar bus depot for a fortnight now, even as commuters suffer due to inadequate buses on roads.

BEST officials told Hindustan Times that while the buses, which will be operated on wet lease basis, were delivered by Olectra Greentech earlier this month, some minor works were pending.

"The contractor is carrying out stencil work, such as imprinting bus numbers, details like 'for women' behind seats, and other information inside the vehicles. They will be drafted into the fleet once these works are completed," said a BEST spokesperson.

But BEST sources said ...