Mumbai civic body threatens to dissolve joint committee of transport body over suggestions

The BMC asked the standing committee of the transport body to implement cost-cutting measures.

In a stern warning to the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said it would dissolve the standing committee of the transport body if it failed to implement cost-cutting measures.

The BMC headquarters

The BMC submitted a 10-page document detailing the financial indiscipline, monopolistic beha-viour and problems plaguing BEST to the standing committee members on Friday. The BMC’s letter stated that it was strongly considering submitting the proposal to the BJP-led state government. The BEST committee has been headed by the Shiv Sena for nearly two decades.

The letter read, “Due to monopolistic behaviour of the committee, the transport body is extremely technologically backward and has turned into an anti-commuter organisation. For BEST to survive, effective measures have to be brought in immediately. ”

The letter also listed scores of long and short term measures to get the transport body out of the mess. The BMC also expressed displeasure at the piecemeal measures implemented by BEST over the years and the regular demand for financial help.

In the revival plan, the BMC asked the BEST to adopt the ‘wet leasing’ method. Under wet leasing (as adopted by the airlines), operators can acquire the buses on long-term lease along with drivers without the financial burden of buying the vehicles. The only difference is that BEST will be in charge of fare collection, while other operations will be looked after by the operators.

BEST is the second largest mode of mass transport after suburban trains. BEST buses provide feeder service to railway network and also contribute to the city’s connectivity, with a fleet of 3,400 buses in Mumbai.