Mumbai's public BEST bus service (Representative image)
Credit: Reuters File Photo
Mumbai: In the run-up to the civic polls in Maharashtra, the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has earmarked Rs 1,000 crore for the BrihanMumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) to pull the civic transporter out from a financial crisis.
In the Budget 2025-26, the BMC has made a provision of Rs 1,000 crore.
“Since 2012-13, BMC has financially assisted BEST Undertaking by giving a total amount of Rs 11304.59 crore till January 2025. Although, BMC itself has a huge requirement of funds towards its ongoing projects and other important objectives, a total provision of Rs 1,000 crore is proposed in Budget Estimates 2025-26 as a grant to BEST Undertaking considering the financial position of BEST Undertaking,” the BMC said.
This amount will be given on account of expenditure on infrastructural development and purchase of capital equipment, repayment of loans, new buses on wet lease basis, pay revisions, day-to-day expenses, intelligent Transport Management System (ITMS) project, payment of Diwali bonus to employees, gratuity and other dues of pensioners, electricity dues and as per the directives of State Government, 5 per cent share of BMC, Rs 128.65 crore for the project of BEST Undertaking to procure and deploy 2,000 electric buses for Mumbai City.
Similarly, an amount of Rs 992 crore has been sanctioned by the 15th Finance Commission for the purchase of electric buses out of which, Rs 493.38 crore has been already received and disbursed to BEST Undertaking and remaining amount of Rs 498.62 crore will be made available to BEST Undertaking after receipt of the said amount from the 15th Finance Commission.
The BEST Undertaking, the second-largest public transport system in the metropolis after suburban trains, operates a fleet of around 3,000 buses, serving more than 30 lakh commuters daily.