Presenting the civic Budget on Thursday, the BMC allocated a fund of Rs 800 crore to the BEST Undertaking, which is struggling financially, for the upcoming financial year. The Undertaking had sought Rs 6,650 crore from the civic body for its overall revival and to keep its transport services running.

Reading out from the budget papers, civic commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said, “Considering the precarious financial condition of BEST, the BMC has been continuously assisting the Undertaking over the past few years for infrastructural development and purchase of capital equipment, loan repayment, day-to-day expenditure etc., subject to the implementation of Financial Revival Plan. Considering the importance of public transportation, a provision of Rs 800 crore is proposed in the Budget Estimate 2022-23 for assisting the Undertaking, so as to help them to improve their functioning.”