Mumbai: The proposal to reduce the fares of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking buses was tabled in the general body meeting on Thursday.
A majority of the corporators approved it. The proposal will now be taken to the Regional Transport Authority for its approval. Once okayed, the revised fares will implemented. The proposal to reduce the bus fares was tabled by the BEST committee chairman, Anil Patankar. After the discussion, it was approved by the Mayor, Vishwanath Mahadeshwar.
The leader of the Opposition, Ravi Raja, raised a question, “When will the 450 new buses be added to the BEST fleet? With the reduction in the fare, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) should compensate for the financial losses of Rs125 every year, and the civic body should give Rs2,000 crore as financial help to the BEST.”
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) group leader, Rakhi Jadhav, demanded that the municipal corporation should open an escrow account, while providing the financial assistance to the BEST. However, the Samajwadi Party (SP) group leader, Rais Shaikh, said that the ruling Shiv Sena should not take the decision of reducing the bus fares by keeping the upcoming Assembly election in mind.
