No free BEST rides for Mumbai cops anymore

The allowance has been raised from Rs 400 to Rs 2,700

Starting June onwards, personnel of the Mumbai Police will have to purchase bus tickets to travel in BEST buses. The police department had previously tied up with BEST to give free ride services to around 40,000 police personnel. Police officials told mid-day that they decided to discontinue the service as only 20-30 per cent of the force uses BEST's services.

Earlier, the Home Department of the Maharashtra Government was allotted a fix transportation allowance of Rs 400 per police personnel. As per the new policy, they will receive a transportation allowance of Rs 2,700 as part of their salary. Speaking with mid-day, Joint Police Commissioner of Admin Rajkumar Vhatkar said, "Members of the police department were not travelling in these buses, but we were giving a certain amount to the BEST every year, [which didn't make sense]."

"Recently, the government decided to raise the transportation allowance of the police department from Rs 400 rupees to Rs 2,700 rupees. It's a huge amount. If a constable takes a bus from his residence to the station, it will only cost him Rs 10 daily, which is Rs 300 a month," Joint CP Vhatkar explained, adding that this allowance will adequately compensate the force. "The allowance will be part of their salary, and they can use it accordingly. It will benefit everyone, from the constable to all rank officers in the police department," he said. A constable, on condition of anonymity, said, "We can use the money for train and bike travelling expenses as well."