Civic body allocates Rs 1,000 cr for BEST bus services for FY 2025-26

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC has in its budget for the financial year 202526 allocated Rs 1000 crore for the civic bus services BEST acknowledging its financial challengesThe Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport BEST undertaking the secondlargest public transport system in the metropolis after suburban trains operates a fleet of around 3000 buses serving more than 30 lakh commuters dailyIn the BMC Budget 2025 document presented on Tuesday the BMC stated that despite its own financial commitments it has made the provision considering BESTs financial positionAlthough BMC itself has a huge requirement of funds towards its ongoing projects and other important objectives a total provision of Rs 1000 crore is proposed in 202526 as a grant to BEST undertaking considering its financial position the document statedAs per the BMC Budget 2025 documents the funds will be used for infrastructure development capital equipment purchases loan repayments wet lease buses pay revisions daily operations the Intelligent Transport Management System ITMS project Diwali bonuses of employees pensioner dues and electricity billsThe BMC Budget 2025 document also says that as per the state directives BMC will contribute Rs 12865 crore its 5 per cent share towards the procurement and deployment of 2000 electric buses for Mumbai but it is not clear if the amount is part of the Rs 1000 crore assistance or a separate provisionThe BMC also pointed out that since 201213 it has provided Rs 1130459 crore in financial assistance to BEST which is financially bleeding and its accumulated loss amount is around Rs 9500 croreThe document also noted that Rs 992 crore has been sanctioned by the 15th Finance Commission for BESTs electric bus purchasesOf this Rs 49338 crore has already been received and disbursed with the remaining Rs 49862 crore to be provided once receivedThe BMC considered the richest civic body in the country on Tuesday presented its budget of Rs 74427 crore for the year 202526The additional municipal commissioners presented the budget to BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani who is the stateappointed administrator of the civic body at the BMC headquarters in MumbaiThe civic body is under an administrator since the term of the corporators ended on March 7 2022The budget estimate for FY 202526 is proposed at Rs 7442741 crore which exceeds the budget estimates of 202425 ie Rs 6518079 crore by 1419 per cent the document readsFor the third year the budget was presented to the administrator instead of the usual practice of the municipal commissioner presenting the budget to the standing committee