‘All of Mumbai shouldn’t be paying for BEST losses’

Energy minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Wednesday said the government was not in favour of recovering losses of BEST’s transport wing by levying charge on all Mumbaikars. The BEST has approached the MERC seeking to impose Transport Deficit Loss Recovery (TDLR) charges on all electricity consumers of BEST, Reliance and Tata Power. Replying to a discussion on the issue in legislative council, Mr Bawankule said the government is not in favour of the BEST’s proposal to impose TDLR on all electricity consumers.

The minister also dismissed reports the TDLR would come into force from April. “There will be no changes in electricity charges in Mumbai till MERC decides on the issue. All three companies have approached the MERC for increasing the tariff,” he said.

MLC Narendra Patil, while raising the issue, urged the government to intervene in the issue so that there will be no burden put on citizens to pay losses suffered by the BEST’s transport wing. In reply, Mr Bawankule said the current losses of the transport wing is Rs 1,689 crore. “The electricity tariff is decided by the MERC and electricity companies approach the MERC whenever they propose to increase the tariff. The government has no power to intervene at this stage. But we are not in favour of imposing TDLR. We will wait for the MERC decision,” the minister said.