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Time of India
08-08-2025
- Business
- Time of India
BEST to lease out its staff quarters in posh Mumbai locality to earn revenue
Mumbai: The BEST is inviting bids from govt, semi-govt, and private companies for the lease of 35 staff quarters in the upmarket south Mumbai area on Altamount Road to raise Rs 263 crore. The revenue earned from monetising its own assets could help curb losses to some extent, an official said. Hussain Indorewala from the citizens' group Aamchi Mumbai Aamchi BEST, however, said that this was also an indicator that the BEST was downsizing its staff and there was no interest in increasing staff or buses, which was not good for commuters. The flats, comprising 15 units in the 'A' wing and 20 units in the 'B' wing, are available on an 'as is where is' basis for long-term residential purposes. The tender will open on Aug 21, and according to the tender conditions, 25% of the payment must be made within 30 days from the date of the 'letter of acceptance', with the remaining 75% payable before the possession of all flats is handed over. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai "Companies are invited to bid with a base price of Rs 263 crore for leasing all 35 flats for a period of 30 years, extendable by another 30 years," the tender mentioned. The apartments are located in a building adjacent to Antilia, the residence of Reliance Industries chairman and managing director Mukesh Ambani. The BEST aims to lease out these high-end apartments, which have served as its staff quarters for decades, to fund its operations and reduce losses. The lessee will be responsible for maintenance and repairs and may modify the premises without increasing the built-up area. Additionally, the lessee may redevelop the property if the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) certifies the need for such development during the lease period, as outlined in the tender document. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Raksha Bandhan wishes , messages and quotes !
Hindustan Times
08-08-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
On 78th BEST foundation day, commuters seek rollback of wet lease model, fare hike
Mumbai: Aamchi Mumbai Aamchi BEST (AMAB), a civil society platform comprising commuters and activists from different organisations, held protests at various locations in the city on Thursday, seeking improvement in bus services operated by the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking. Protestors also submitted a memorandum enlisting around half a dozen key demands, including discontinuation of the practice of wet leasing buses, to officers in-charge of 21 BEST depots across the city. Members of over 20 different organisations including BEST employees' unions participated in the protests, said Hussain Indorewala, an urban researcher and founding member of AMAB The protests, which drew over 100 participants, were held a day after a row erupted over two departments of the state government naming two separate Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers as general manager of the cash-strapped BEST. One of the departments subsequently denied making any appointment and Asheesh Sharma assumed charge as the BEST general manager. AMAB had called for protests in front of BEST depots in the city on Thursday, to coincide with BEST's 78th foundation day. Accordingly, commuters and members of the civil society group started assembling outside bus depots and bus stands outside railway stations from 10am, amid showers in various parts of the city. 'Members from over 20 different organisations including BEST employees' unions participated in the protests,' said Hussain Indorewala, an urban researcher and founding member of AMAB who participated in a demonstration at Andheri in the evening. 'We also submitted a memorandum of demands to the officers in-charge at 21 bus depots across the city,' he said. Demands enlisted in the memoranda included discontinuation of the wet lease system, immediate rollback of the recent fare hike, restoration of long-distance routes that were canceled/ curtailed in the recent past, and integration of the BEST budget with the budget of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), in line with sections 126 and 134 of the BMC Act, 1888. The undertaking's practice of wet-leasing buses from private companies instead of purchasing them outright has turned out to be a 'total fiasco', said Jagnarayan Kahar, an AMAB member Magathane, Borivali. 'BEST should restore its own fleet to 6,250 buses and improve carrying capacity,' he said. The undertaking currently has a fleet of 2,670 buses, of which only 430 buses are owned by it. Protestors also opposed ongoing efforts to lease out land at BEST depots to private builders on long-term basis, for 60-90 years. The depots are critical for bus parking, maintenance, refueling and amenities for the staff, they said. 'Performance of a public transport system must be evaluated not just on financial metrics but on accessibility, service quality, coverage, and commuter satisfaction,' said Indorewala. Organisations which participated in the protests and endorsed the memoranda of demands included Democratic Youth Federation of India, Humanist Centre (Dahisar and Borivali), Disha Students' Organisation, Fridays for Future Mumbai, Jan Haq Sangharsh Samiti, CITU, Students' Federation of India, Lokraj Sanghatana, Purogami Mahila Sanghatana and BEST Nivruth Kamgar Sanghatana, among others.
Time of India
05-08-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Citizens' Groups to Protest on BEST Foundation Day in Mumbai
Mumbai: As BEST celebrates its Foundation Day on August 7, citizens' group Aamchi Mumbai Aamchi BEST (AMAB) and 22 other civil society organisations have decided to protest outside 20 BEST depots in Mumbai on BEST Divas. The protest will take place on August 7, from 3 to 5 pm, and they plan to submit demands to the depot managers. Hussain Indorewala from AMAB said that this was part of the ongoing 'Save BEST' campaign. "For many years, BMC and BEST have made announcements of increasing the bus fleet, but the number of buses has come down to 2,594, with only 437 BEST-owned buses. We demand that BEST bus service be restored to a fully public transport system to maintain a fleet of at least 6,250 BEST-owned buses (as per the norm of 1 bus per 2000 population)," Indorewala said. "There are also plans underway to give away BEST lands to builders to generate 'non-fare revenue,' which will make BEST worse off and make it close to impossible for BEST to revert back to a fully public system. Lately, BEST suddenly increased fares in May 2025, which immediately led to a drop in BEST's ridership," he added. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai
Time of India
03-08-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
BEST staffers vote for strike as citizens group plans protest on anniversary day
Mumbai: The polling conducted by Sangharsh Kamgar Karmachari Union for BEST staffers at 16 bus depots recently showed that 99% gave their consent for a strike to raise pending demands, including equal rights for drivers and conductors working in wet lease (contractual) buses. As many as 4,986 staffers out of a total of 5,051 who participated in the polling process voted for a strike, said union leader Shashank Rao. He added that a final decision on the strike will be taken on August 7, on BEST Divas. Jagnarayan Kahar from Aamchi Mumbai Aamchi BEST said that the citizens' group will organise a protest at all 27 bus depots on Aug 7. "We are demanding that public transport should be reliable—buses should arrive on time and should be safe and affordable with fares being reduced," he said. He added that the group will also oppose the privatisation of bus depots. A memorandum will be handed over to depot managers on that day. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
