BEST gives ₹8-cr operation bill to MMRDA
MUMBAI: The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking has sent a ₹8-crore bill to Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). The bill covers the cost for operating the hybrid electric buses.
As per a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed on March 10 between the two bodies, MMRDA would bear the losses as well as operation and maintenance cost of hybrid buses. The BEST administration informed its policy-making body, BEST committee, of the development in a meeting on Friday.
While panel member Sunil Ganacharya claimed that MMRDA has refused to pay the amount, panel chairman Anil Kokil suggested discontinuing the service if MMRDA does not make the payment.
Surendra Bagde, general manager of BEST, said, “If losses are not compensated, the administration has no option but to stop running buses. We are trying to recover the money.”
However, according to an MMRDA spokesperson, BEST has submitted only two bills of ₹1.1 crore and ₹1.5 crore for the period of March-april and Mayjune, respectively.
In the meeting, panel members also slammed BMC for refusing financial assistance to the undertaking, while spend- ing crores of rupees on the coastal road that will cater to 3 lakh cars.
“BMC has spent ₹4 crore on bringing a penguin at Rani Baug and has also planned to bring more animals at a cost of ₹25 crores. But it has no money to spend on BEST. As it the need of the city, is it not necessary to give financial assistance to BEST?” said Ganacharya.
Meanwhile, panel member Ashish Chemburkar said at the meeting that no toll will be charged for BEST buses on the proposed coastal road.