India, Aug. 6 -- Ahead of the foundation day of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking on August 7, commuters and civil society groups in the city have flagged two key issues plaguing its operations, covering the inordinate delay in delivery of electric buses (e-buses) from manufacturers, and a 58% hike in the per kilometre rate paid to wet lease operators for running the buses.

According to sources in the BEST, the undertaking placed two separate orders with bus manufacturer Olectra Greentech for supply of 2,100 and 2,400 single decker e-buses in 2022 and 2024, respectively. But it has received only 615 buses from the first order and 50 from the second order, with nearly 85% of the deliveries pending.

"We fea...