The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking plans to procure 1,000 more air-conditioned (AC) buses on wet lease, of which 500 are proposed to run on diesel and 500 on compressed natural gas. The total cost of the two contracts comes to over ₹2,600 crore.
The proposals were circulated among the members at the BEST committee meeting on Friday, but were not cleared because the members said they were not given sufficient time to go through them.
As per the first proposal, the BEST administration would pay ₹56.85 per km to hire 500 AC mini diesel buses from two contractors with 250 buses each, which will cost the undertaking ₹954 crore over the next eight years.
In the other contract, the BEST would pay ₹69.48 per km to a contractor for 500 AC midi CNG buses, which will amount to ₹1,667 crore in eight years.
The contractors will maintain the buses and provide drivers.
The fare collection will be done by the BEST. Ravi Raja, a corporator from the Congress, said the proposals could not be tabled at the last minute.
Sources said the Shiv Sena was eager to get the proposals passed before the model code of conduct comes into force. “Once the code of conduct kicks in, such proposals will be pushed till after the elections as they are seen to be not vital to the day-to-day functions of the BEST,” a BEST official said.
The BEST has been ramping up its fleet. Last week, it inducted 10 electric buses and will receive 30 more by the end of this month. The undertaking has also issued a work order for 200 AC mini diesel buses, which will come by October-end.
