Image: PCOs on BEST buses

Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on Monday activated a public telephone system on Mumbai's city buses.

Passengers can now make calls from these telephones installed on the BEST buses.

Apart from the telephones, the buses will now sport closed circuit cameras for extra security.

Also, a new automated fare collection system has been activated.

All that the passenger has to do is to hold the 'smart card' in front of a reader on the bus and the reader will deduct the fare.

Photograph: Arun Patil