Higher bus rents to generate revenue for BEST

The Bombay Electric Supply Transport (BEST) today announced that they will finally pay up pending arrears amounting to Rs.545 crore to BEST employees.

The arrears that were pending since 2006 had not been paid as the BEST had claimed that they could not afford the arrears as the public transport body were going into loss.

The arrears will be paid from the month of September in the next 48 install- ments. The funds of the next 32 installments will be paid to workers as addition to their salaries.

BEST general manager O P Gupta said, “Since the authorities have given their okay we will start their payment but in order to do so we need to generate revenue from elsewhere.”

Since the revenue cannot be generated via bus fares, BEST shall consider increasing electricity rates in the coming two to three month by 5 to 10 percent,” he added.

Officials are currently calculating the ascendance Mumbai: Another way that the BEST is to generate revenue is via increasing rates for renting out their buses. The BEST is to increase rent of buses rented out to police and private companies. The rent of the bus has increased from Rs.9000 to 12,000 for a day and from Rs.4500 to 6000 for half a day.The rates of a double-decker bus have been increased to Rs.18, 000 for a day and Rs.9000 for half a day. in electricity hike and soon a presentation will be made to the higher officials.

The authorities have to yet chalk the plan regarding the remaining 16 installments from the 48.

The arrears for workers who retired between the years 2006 and 2009 will also be given by March of 2014. For workers who have retired from 2009 to 2011, settlements will be made by March 2015 and those who have retired from 2011 to now will be paid their arrears by 2016.