After the discontinuation of the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST's) air-conditioned (AC) buses, commuters can now heave a sigh of relief as Anil Kokil, the committee Chairman on Monday said that the service is temporarily suspended and not terminated.
BEST committee members on Monday expressed that although the transport division of BEST is not in profit, termination of the services is not a feasible option. Speaking with DNA, Kokil said, "Mumbaikars do not seem to be happy with this decision. As of now, the AC bus services are suspended not stopped permanently. In the next committee meeting, we will decide if the AC bus services can be started again."
He added that the the Municipal Corporation should fund the BEST during such financial crunch. "We have written letters to the Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta but we have not received a positive response from him yet," Kokil added.
BEST plied 202 AC buses, attracting 20,000 passengers daily. A 2015 report stated that AC buses contributed Rs 360 crore to the annual loss of the transport division's Rs 800 crore.
The management is running from pillar to post trying to to pay the monthly salaries of its 42,000 employees. BEST requires approximately Rs 150 crore per month to pay the salaries of its employees.
In 2017, BEST had presented a deficit budget to BMC, which was rejected and sent back for revision.
MAKING AN APPEAL
- Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar on Monday wrote a letter to the Heavy Industry Ministry, New Delhi
- In his letter, he has requested for a grant of Rs 16.5 crore to buy 10 electric buses
- The letter also states that the electric buses will help decrease pollution in city
