Mumbai: Unions smell conspiracy to shut down the BEST

The BEST buses became the lifeline of Mumbai when train services were shut during the lockdown. File pic/Suresh Karkera

BEST trade unions have taken on the government and Shiv Sena-led civic body over the "abysmal allocations" to the undertaking in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) budget, calling it a conspiracy to shut down the undertaking. The BMC has earmarked a loan of R406 crore and allotted R775 crore to the BEST Undertaking. But legally, unions said there are no provisions for such a loan.

"The BEST has been working as the city's lifeline in the absence of local trains and staff have not stopped for even a single day. Its workers have given their lives to the undertaking. What is earmarked in the BMC budget is injustice. What happened to the promise of the merger of the BEST and BMC budget?" asked Shashank Sharad Rao, convener, BEST Workers Joint Action Committee.

‘What about MoU?'
Rao also said that it is legally binding upon the BEST to maintain a certain number of buses in its fleet as per a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with unions on June 11, 2019. As of February 2020 the BEST owns only 2,388 buses.

"When we gave consent for the wet-leasing of buses, there were certain mandatory clauses. The deal was that at any point in time, the BEST must have a fleet of 3,337 self-owned buses. For every bus scrapped, the BMC will fund a new bus. This MoU has been backed by BMC with a signed document," he told mid-day.

"We will not allow the injustice to this iconic city undertaking and continue our battle for its survival," Rao added. The BEST administration did not comment on the issue.