The BEST Undertaking has sought Rs 6,650 crore from the BMC to keep its transport services running. The amount is almost equal to the total capital fund the civic body utilised on all projects throughout the financial year.

Though the civic administration hasn’t approved it yet, the BEST could become a burden for the BMC in recent years. The financial help from the BMC to its transport wing has been increasing since the past few years. It helped the BEST with Rs 151.35 crore over four financial years, from 2015 to 2019. Thereafter, it has allotted Rs 4,300 crore—half of it in 2019-20, Rs 750 crore in the current financial year, as well as Rs 406 crore loan for pending gratuity payment to 3,649 employees.