Bumpy ride ahead for Mumbai's iconic BEST buses
The iconic BEST buses in Mumbai are facing huge losses that have forced the civic administration to come out with a slew of reform measures to put them back on track. However, these measures are facing a stiff resistance from employees and unions who feel they are a move towards eventually privatizing the civic-run undertaking. Here are the details.
BEST buses, a pride of the metropolis
Run by 112-year-old Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST), Mumbai's public buses have been a pride of the metropolis and acquired legendary status over the years for their prompt service and efficiency. But their status has taken a beating; the BEST administration is now talking of a "course correction" and looking at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to bail them out financially.
Implementation of reformative measures suggested by BMC Commissioner
"No doubt BEST needs some course correction, which will have a positive impact on its financial health. We hope BMC Commissioner (Ajoy) Mehta will fulfill his promise to help BEST financially when we follow the conditions put forth by him," said BEST Committee Chairman Anil Kokil. "We have started implementing most of the reformative and cost-cutting measures suggested by him," added Kokil.
BEST struggling to pay staffers salaries
BEST is struggling to pay salaries to its over 40, 500 staffers and had to borrow from banks to make the payments. This has led the BMC, the parent body of the BEST, to take measures such as withdrawal of special allowances to employees to cut cost. However, these steps have not gone down well with staffers.
BEST is incurring an estimated Rs. 2crore loss daily
To oppose the administration's plan to hire buses from private contractors, there was an indefinite strike call last week, but it was deferred later. The transport undertaking, which operates on 483 routes with its fleet of 3,337 buses, including 120 double-deckers, is incurring an estimated Rs. 2crore loss daily and has failed to recover even the cost of operation.
