India, Nov. 4 -- Long waits at bus stops in the western suburbs have prompted BEST to add 48 electric buses to its fleet. The 12-metre-long, fully air-conditioned buses were inaugurated on Tuesday and will serve areas including Mira Road, Dahisar, Borivali, Kandivali and Malad.

The buses will operate from the Dindoshi and Magathane depots. BEST officials said the additional services would improve frequency on select routes, especially those connecting residential areas with railway stations.

Residents said they had sent several letters and emails to BEST over the past few months, seeking additional buses, extensions to existing routes and new services. They said waiting times at some stops had increased to 20 to 30 minutes, and could re...