Shiv Sena rejects BEST’s budget in Mumbai civic body

The transport body’s committee, which is controlled by the same party, had cleared the ₹6,075-crore budget previously

The ruling party in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Shiv Sena, rejected the ₹6,075-crore budget of the loss-making Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) on Friday. The transport body’s committee, which is controlled by the same party, had cleared the budget previously.

The administration presented BEST’s budget for 2019-20 with an estimated loss of ₹769 crore. (HT FILE)

The administration presented BEST’s budget for 2019-20 with an estimated loss of ₹769 crore. The civic body rejected the budget citing technical reasons, when it came up for approval in the general body meeting. The BEST had allotted ₹450 crore to buy new buses for the crucial revival of the transport body, which ferries about 25 lakh commuters every day.

The setback for BEST comes two days after the nine-day strike by the transport body’s unions, demanding wage hike and merging of their budget with that of the BMC. The Congress as well as the BJP slammed the move, alleging that the ruling party’s politics was harming the transport body.

Opposition leader Ravi Raja (Congress) said, “Does it mean that the Sena does not have confidence in its own budget? Sena is in no mood to revive BEST and wants citizens to suffer.”

Meanwhile, BEST Union leader Shashank Rao too lashed out at the Sena and said, “The standing committee and the BEST are chaired by the Sena and now that they have rejected the budget. It will definitely affect the services.”

Sena ally BJP too slammed the decision. BJP’s Sunil Ganacharya, who is also member of BEST committee said, “Right now the BEST does not get grants from anyone. If this continues it will be difficult for the BEST to continue with its day-to-days affairs. The BMC Act specifically mentions that under section 63 it is the duty of the civic body to provide public transport system and under sections 131 and 134, it is the duty of the civic body to revive the BEST in times of needs. However if the BMC continues to deny aid to the BEST, it will become difficult to continue its functioning.”

Sena leader Ashish Chemburkar who heads the BEST also sought to pass the blame on the administration. “The committee doesn’t have executive powers. We cleared what was brought by the administration before us,”he said.

Yashwant Jadhav Sena standing committee chairman from Sena defended the move. He said, “It is wrong to say that the BMC is not helping the BEST. The merger, which we passed in August 2017 at the general body, was subject to the condition that the BEST would accept the reforms suggested by us. It is not possible to accept the deficit budget again and again.”