Rising fuel prices may cause annual loss of ₹26 crore for Mumbai’s BEST buses

BEST committee members have urged the management to request the state government for an exemption from high petrol and diesel prices

If fuel prices continue to rise at current rates, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) may suffer an annual loss of ₹26 crore. However, there is no proposal for a hike in bus fares yet. The organisation has a fleet of 3,362 buses, of which 1,329 buses operate on diesel, 2002 operate on CNG, and 31 operate on electric power.

1,329 BEST buses operate on diesel. (HT file photo)

The issue was brought up by committee chairperson, Ashish Chemburkar, while discussing the increasing price of diesel and petrol in the city. “An annual loss of ₹26 crore will be suffered by the management, if diesel and petrol prices keep on rising,” he said.

BEST committee members have urged the management to request the state government for an exemption from high petrol and diesel prices, as the organisation is already suffering major losses. “The organisation is already running in losses and if the fuel price keeps on increasing, the situation will worsen for the transport department. BEST management should immediately write to the state government, and ask for an exemption from the high diesel prices,” said Anil Kokil, a BEST committee member from the Shiv Sena.

Meanwhile, the BEST management has stated that they would come to know about the fluctuation in price only in July as they collect information together. “We collect data for three months and then review it, as the price of fuel is variable,” said Surendra Kumar Bagde, general manager, BEST. “We will then consider the decision of the committee members before taking a call,” he added