No octroi exemption for BEST buses: Civic body

The civic body has refused to refund Rs12 crore to the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) that was collected as octroi charges. Corporators, however, opposed the civic body’s stand on the issue.

The civic body has refused to refund Rs12 crore to the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) that was collected as octroi charges. Corporators, however, opposed the civic body’s stand on the issue.

HT Image

On Friday, Manisha Mhaiskar, additional municipal commissioner, announced before the civic standing committee that the civic body would not exempt octroi of new buses being procured under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.

The BEST had requested for exemption in octroi for buses procured in the past two years. The undertaking paid Rs12 crore as octroi charges for 1,000 buses.

Yogesh Sagar, Bharatiya Janata Party corporator-turned-MLA, said: “The buses have been procured to improve the services rendered to the common man. The BMC should exempt the buses from octroi.”

Sanjay Potnis, chairman of the BEST committee, said, “We hope to get a refund as the buses will improve the transport system in the city. As a parent body, the BMC should help us.”