Mumbai: Government panned for plan to lend five new BEST buses to Aurangabad

Sources said the government plans to give the electric buses from BEST’s quota for the Aurangabad Smart City project to promote tourism

Even as the BEST struggles with bus shortage and has hired buses from MSRTC at Rs 75 per km, the government plans to lend five new electric buses for the Aurangabad Smart City project to promote tourism. The undertaking is procuring 50 electric buses. BEST chairman Pravin Shinde refused to comment on the move, but committee members lambasted it saying that attempts are being made to systematically ruin the undertaking.

Sources said that the Aurangabad Smart City Development Corporation had come up with a proposal for electric buses. It was promised by state environment minister Aaditya Thackeray to the Aurangabad Smart City team during his recent visit to Aurangabad, they said. The buses would return to Mumbai once their buses start arriving after six months or so.

Calling it an unfair move, committee member and BJP leader Sunil Ganacharya said, "With the scrapping of its old buses, the BEST itself in Mumbai is falling short and has hired buses on rent from the MSRTC to keep its transport operations running. The new electric buses are being provided by the Centre are now being promised to be given to other cities like this." Alleging that there is no sense of belonging, Ganacharya added, "Such decisions are systematically ruining what was once a good public transport undertaking."

Another committee member, Prakash Gangadhare, said ruling parties have been playing with the BEST. "Take for instance the privatisation of buses, drivers and now conductors. If they are privatising everything like this, why not privatise the post of managers also? Like corporate offices hire managers for profit, they should do that too. The condition of the undertaking has been deteriorating," he said.

The BJP has also been opposing the contract to rent 400 buses with conductors, alleging that it poses a job threat to existing employees. It said the Shiv Sena and the administration are worsening the situation.