BEST adds 44 new AC electric buses on five routes from Magathane depot

Mumbai's public transport undertaking BEST has added 44 new fully air-conditioned electric buses to its fleet. All of them will run on five routes from the Magathane depot. BEST says this will create more room for commuters on crowded routes and make travel easier in several parts of the city.

The 12-metre buses were flagged off at a function held at the Magathane depot on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. BEST Committee chairperson Tripti Vishwasrao and other dignitaries were present.

The buses have been deployed on a wet-lease arrangement through Evey Trans Maharashtra Pvt. Ltd. According to BEST, the new buses will let more passengers travel on high-demand routes and cut waiting time at bus stops.

Evey Trans Maharashtra Pvt. Ltd. has received a purchase order to operate 2,400 fully air-conditioned, 12-metre electric buses on lease. Of these, 50 buses had already joined the BEST fleet before this latest batch. With the 44 new buses, the company's total in the BEST fleet is now 94.

BEST is also expanding its fleet under the PM E-Drive scheme of the Union Ministry of Heavy Industries. A purchase order has been issued for 1,500 AC midi buses, while another order is for 2,400 fully air-conditioned, 12-metre buses. Under the scheme, 2,000 buses are expected to join the BEST fleet. This is part of an effort to expand public transport in Mumbai and move gradually towards electric vehicles.

BEST says the weight of the battery in the new buses has been reduced by 16 per cent. The battery is mounted in the lower part of the bus instead of on the roof. This will allow better use of space and put less load on the bus. Of the 44 buses, 41 have a more open seating arrangement. They also have passenger-friendly doors for boarding and alighting.

The buses are fitted with the Combined Charging System (CCS-2). The BEST undertaking says this charges the battery 58 per cent faster than the older system. During peak hours, these 12-metre buses will be able to carry more passengers.

For safety, the buses have an anti-lock braking system (ABS), hydraulic power-assisted steering, CCTV cameras, a Vehicle Tracking System (VTS) and emergency panic buttons. They will also be monitored through a video analytics facility linked to the Agara command-and-control centre, and their movement will be tracked from the control room in day-to-day operations.

The buses are fully electric and their silencers emit no smoke. They are expected to reduce pollution from public transport, in the form of noise and exhaust fumes.

All 44 buses will run from the Magathane depot on five different routes. These services will connect commuters in many areas of the eastern and western suburbs. The buses will run from Kandivali bus station (East), Sangharsh Nagar in Chandivali, Samata Nagar bus station in Kandivali East and the Magathane depot. Connectivity will also be available to Borivali station (East), Thane station (East) and Mira Road station (East). The buses have a lightweight body, electric propulsion technology, fast charging and long battery life.