BMC allocates Rs 1,000 crore for funds-starved BEST in budget
The Rs 1,000 crore allocated for the BEST in the BMC budget will be used for infrastructure development, procurement of buses, daily expenses etc.
This year's budget was presented by Bhushan Gagrani, BMC Commissioner and state-appointed administrator, who took charge in March 2024. (Express Photo by Pradip Das) The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday allocated Rs 1,000 crore for the funds-starved Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) in its budget for the 2025-2026 financial year, pointing out that it has provided Rs 11,304.59 crore to the undertaking since 2012-13.
The BEST runs nearly 3,000 buses in Mumbai, catering to lakhs of commuters daily. According to the BMC, these financial provisions are part of ongoing efforts to modernise Mumbai’s transport infrastructure and improve the city’s public transportation system.
“…a total provision of ₹1,000 crore is proposed in 2025-26 as a grant to BEST undertaking considering its financial position,” the budget document stated. This grant will be utilised for infrastructure development, the purchase of new capital equipment, repayment of loans, and the procurement of buses on a wet lease basis. It will also cover pay revisions, day-to-day expenses, the ITMS (Intelligent Traffic Management System) project, Diwali bonuses for employees, and dues for pensioners and gratuity.
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