Bus panel chairman reacts to Mumbai civic body’s threat, says 82% of suggestions accepted

The BMC threatened to appoint an administrator to run the loss-making BEST undertaking if it does not get its act together

Expressing shock over the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) threat to dissolve the BEST joint committee for not adopting the cost-cutting reforms, the chairman of the panel on Saturday said 82% of the panel’s recommendations will be implemented.

The BMC threatened to appoint an administrator to run the loss-making BEST undertaking if it does not get its act together.  The century-old BEST is going through its worst-ever financial crisis with cumulative losses more than Rs1,759 crore.

Anil Kokil, chairman of BEST panel, said he was taken by surprise after reading newspaper reports about appointing an administrator to run the transport body.

“We have accepted almost 82% of the total cost-cutting reforms suggested by the BMC and immediately sent an action-taken report to it,” said Kokil.

He said that these measures would help BEST save Rs534 crore.

The measures include rationalisation of the fleet (Rs241 crore), rationalisation bus routes (Rs100 crore), manpower planning (Rs 85 crore), fare revision (Rs53 crore), revoking or suspending various schemes for staff and passengers.

In its 10-page letter to BEST, the BMC details the financial indiscipline, monopolistic beha-viour and problems plaguing the BEST penal.

According to sources, of the 20 reforms suggested by the civic body, the BEST has agreed to adopt 14 of them.