BEST has asked assistance of Rs 3,419 crore from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to procure 2,237 buses
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The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking has asked assistance of Rs 3,419 crore from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to procure 2,237 buses.
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Last month, in a letter to the BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, the BEST's new general manager Vijay Singhal sought Rs 3,419 crore "financial assistance" to purchase 2,237 buses in a "phased manner".
The BEST in its letter stated that as per clause no 3 in a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with BEST Workers Union on June 11, 2019, it is necessary for it to maintain 3,337 buses in its fleet.
Highlighting the need for procuring 2,237 new buses, the BEST stated that it scrapped 1,696 of its buses before the end of March and 541 more are expected to be removed this financial year.
"Under the Capital Work Budget, a provision of Rs 2,58,391.25 lakh was made in 2022-23 (budget) for 1,696 electric buses and Rs 83,552.75 lakh is made in 2023-24 (budget) for 541 electric buses," the letter stated.
"The BEST's fleet has come down to 3,100 from around 3,500 buses a few years ago," officials said.
Former member of BEST committee and labour union leader Sunil Ganachary blamed the civic body for the BEST's financial troubles.
"The BEST's income decreased as the BMC asked it to slash ticket prices. Isn't it the civic body's moral responsibility to pay the difference in income and expenditure? The BMC had given a written assurance to fill the viability gap, but it is not paying the same," Ganachary said.
Despite repeated attempts by PTI, the BMC chief IS Chahal did not respond to the query about the letter for financial assistance from the BEST.
(with inputs from PTI)
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