Hiring private buses bad in election year, says Shiv Sena

With Tata and Ashok Leyland having told BEST that it will take 14 to 21 months to build new buses, BEST has now suggested hiring private buses with conductors and drivers, which has not gone down well with the Shiv Sena. The Sena is of the view that this will be bad for BEST, considering municipal elections are slated for next year.

This was a last-moment suggestion from BEST after BMC standing committee chairman Yashodhar Phanse took the undertaking to task for not procuring new buses for which the civic body had provided a loan of `100 crore in the 2015-16 budget. “BEST has not been able to utilise funds that were allocated last year and now they are suggesting that we hire private buses with their conductors and drivers. This will create a bad image in the people’s minds. They will think we are out to privatise BEST and we have an election next year,” said Mr Phanse.

BEST GM Jagdish Patil said that the delay in the procurement process is because BEST is trying to make an informed decision lest the buses turn out to be faulty.