BEST may cut short-distance bus fares by 3

Mumbai: BEST plans to reduce the minimum fare for AC buses on feeder and short routes for distances up to 3km to Rs 9 from Rs 12, and for non-AC buses to Rs 7-8 from Rs 10. This is being done to compete with the share-auto fare of Rs 10, as nearly 20% of commuters have migrated to autos in the past month since the bus fare hike. On Thursday, BEST general manager S V R Srinivas said: "We are exploring the possibility of making the fare structure more dynamic by adding more slabs...This will take into account competitive auto fares." tnn Mumbai: BEST plans to reduce the minimum fare for AC buses on feeder and short routes for distances up to 3km to Rs 9 from Rs 12, and for non-AC buses to Rs 7-8 from Rs 10. This is being done to compete with the share-auto fare of Rs 10, as nearly 20% of commuters have migrated to autos in the past month since the bus fare hike. On Thursday, BEST general manager S V R Srinivas said: "It is not a fare reduction per se...We are exploring the possibility of making the fare structure more dynamic by adding more slabs...This will take into account competitive auto fares." Sources said there may be a new 5-7km slab with non-AC bus fare of Rs 13 for 7km. tnn