Mumbai BEST Seeks 200 Additional Traffic Officers As It Plans To Expand Bus Fleet To 10,000 By 2027
Mumbai: As BEST prepares to expand its bus fleet to 10,000 vehicles by 2027, it has proposed creating 200 additional posts of Assistant Traffic Officers (ATOs) to manage the expected increase in operational workload. The proposal, tabled at the BEST committee meeting on Friday, seeks to strengthen the supervisory workforce as the undertaking plans to induct 5,000 additional buses in phases. BEST…
Mumbai's BEST transport authority plans to expand its bus network to 10,000 vehicles by 2027, necessitating the creation of 200 new Assistant Traffic Officer (ATO) positions. This proposal, presented at a recent BEST committee meeting, aims to bolster the supervisory workforce in preparation for the anticipated workload surge. BEST General Manager Sonia Sethi emphasized the need for additional administrative and supervisory staff at depots to support the growing fleet of 5,000 buses, which will be added in phases.
The proposal notes that the existing supervisory workforce, currently numbering 101 Grade G-8 ATOs, is already fully utilized in managing the current 2,900-bus fleet, including those operated through wet-lease arrangements. As the bus network expands, the proposal asserts that stronger supervision will be essential to maintain punctuality, ensure regular services, enforce discipline, and address commuter complaints.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs' Urban Transport Service Level Benchmarks further support this recommendation, suggesting a ratio of 0.6 buses per 1,000 population.
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