BEST Unveils ₹28,000-Crore Plan To Redevelop 22 Mumbai Bus Depots Under PPP Model

Mumbai: In one of the biggest restructuring plans in its history, the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking has proposed a ₹28,000-crore transformation plan to revive its finances and modernise its transport infrastructure by redeveloping 22 bus depots across Mumbai. The proposal was approved by the BEST Committee on Tuesday and will now be sent to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) before being placed before the Maharashtra Cabinet for final approval.

22 Bus Depots to Be Transformed Into Integrated Urban Hubs

The redevelopment plan aims to convert ageing bus depots into integrated urban hubs while retaining them as operational bus terminals. The project will be executed through the Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) model under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), with ownership of the land continuing to remain with BEST.

BEST owns 27 bus depots spread across 7.70 lakh sq. m. of land with a built-up area of 2.51 lakh sq. m. Of these, 22 depots have been identified for redevelopment. Kurla depot has already been redeveloped, while Dharavi and Kalakilla depots will be used for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project and Anik and Pratiksha Nagar depots for the Metro-11 project.

KPMG Drafts Strategy; Higher FSI Sought for Viability

The proposal was first presented to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in June, after which KPMG was appointed to prepare a detailed redevelopment strategy. BEST has sought an increase in the permissible FSI from 1.3 to 7, similar to Metro-3 projects, to make the redevelopment financially viable.

BEST General Manager Sonia Sethi said the project is not limited to commercial or residential buildings. "The redevelopment is part of the overall transformation of BEST. It will also create educational institutions, hospitals, public parking facilities and other social infrastructure while generating sustainable revenue," she said.

Financial Revival Plan Targets ₹28,000-Crore Requirement

According to the proposal, BEST is burdened with an accumulated deficit of ₹7,322 crore and total liabilities of ₹14,323 crore. Procuring and operating 5,000 self-owned buses, along with meeting employee-related commitments, will require another ₹13,561 crore, taking the total financial requirement to nearly ₹28,000 crore.

BEST Committee Chairperson Trushna Vishwasrao said the redevelopment would maximise the value of prime land parcels while creating better staff housing, public amenities and parking facilities. Officials said the plan has been modelled on transport-oriented developments in cities such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Paris and Stockholm.

The undertaking plans to use the upfront premium received from developers to clear liabilities, settle employee dues and fund the purchase of self-owned buses. It also proposes creating dedicated Corpus and Recurring Funds to ensure long-term financial sustainability and reduce dependence on annual financial support from the BMC.

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