BEST buddy: Oppn leader seeks Rs 1K crore for ailing transporter

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) transport arm Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and transport (BEST) has been running into huge losses and facing financial crisis, making it difficult to sustain.

This was revealed Leader of Opposition (LoP) of the civic body Ravi Raja, a Congress corporator, in his letter to BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta. In the letter, Raja sought a grant of Rs. 1000 crore subsidy to help BEST run it smoothly. run it smoothly.

“The BEST which provides transport service to Mumbaikars have low ticket fares. It is not a profit making organisation unlike the private sectors. And thus, it is under financial burden. Being an undertaking organisation of BMC, the corporation should help BEST. Every month, salaries of employees are getting delayed of financial crisis,”Ravi Raja said.

It is worth mentioning that the BMC commissioner had given various do’s and don’ts, including on increasing ticket fares, deduction of employees’ salaries, stopping of scholarships to the employees’ children and pulling out buses from those routes which have less commuters among many others.

“These do’s and don’ts, even if we try execute them, a year’s time will be taken. BEST needs money now. Given the current situation, it needd Rs 1,000 crore subsidy,” Raja emphasised.

The transport body has taken loans from BMC to pay various dues like employee salaries for which BMC has levied 10% interest rate. While BMC’s fund in fixed deposits receive only only 5% interest from banks.

“BMC takes 10 per cent interest from BEST while for their own money they get 5 per cent interest. Is BMC trying to make profit from BEST?” Raja questioned.

The LoP argued in his letter that no more interest should be levied on loans taken by BEST.

The LoP argued in his letter that no more interest should be levied on loans taken by BEST. Currently, BMC is charging 10% interest on BEST, the transport arm of the corporation