BMC Allocates Rs 10 Billion for BEST in 2025-26 Budget

06 Feb 2025 CW Team

Funding for Infrastructure and Operations The Rs 10 billion grant will be used for infrastructure development, acquisition of capital equipment, loan repayments, and procurement of buses on a wet lease basis. Additionally, the funds will cover salary revisions, pension dues, an Intelligent Traffic Management System project, and annual Diwali bonuses for employees.

Push for Electric Mobility As part of a state-backed initiative to introduce 2,000 electric buses in Mumbai, BMC will contribute Rs 1.3 billion, covering five per cent of the project cost. The 15th Finance Commission has also sanctioned Rs 9.92 billion for electric bus purchases. Of this, Rs 4.93 billion has already been disbursed, while the remaining Rs 4.98 billion will be transferred once the full amount is received.

Free Travel for Civic School Students In an effort to support education and ease commuting costs, the budget includes provisions for free travel for students of BMC-run schools. Students from classes 1 to 10, dressed in school uniforms, can travel free on BEST buses from their homes to school.

To facilitate this scheme, ‘Chalo cards’ have been distributed to 19,723 students, including 14,900 primary school students and 4,823 secondary school students. The budget has set aside Rs 60 million for primary school students and Rs 27 million for secondary school students under this initiative.

With these financial commitments, the BMC aims to modernise Mumbai’s public transport network while making daily commutes more affordable and sustainable.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has allocated Rs 10 billion for the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking in its 2025-26 budget. This move aims to strengthen Mumbai’s public transport system amid BEST’s ongoing financial challenges. Since 2012-13, BMC has provided a total of Rs 113 billion to support the undertaking. Funding for Infrastructure and Operations The Rs 10 billion grant will be used for infrastructure development, acquisition of capital equipment, loan repayments, and procurement of buses on a wet lease basis. Additionally, the funds will cover salary revisions, pension dues, an Intelligent Traffic Management System project, and annual Diwali bonuses for employees. Push for Electric Mobility As part of a state-backed initiative to introduce 2,000 electric buses in Mumbai, BMC will contribute Rs 1.3 billion, covering five per cent of the project cost. The 15th Finance Commission has also sanctioned Rs 9.92 billion for electric bus purchases. Of this, Rs 4.93 billion has already been disbursed, while the remaining Rs 4.98 billion will be transferred once the full amount is received. Free Travel for Civic School Students In an effort to support education and ease commuting costs, the budget includes provisions for free travel for students of BMC-run schools. Students from classes 1 to 10, dressed in school uniforms, can travel free on BEST buses from their homes to school. To facilitate this scheme, ‘Chalo cards’ have been distributed to 19,723 students, including 14,900 primary school students and 4,823 secondary school students. The budget has set aside Rs 60 million for primary school students and Rs 27 million for secondary school students under this initiative. With these financial commitments, the BMC aims to modernise Mumbai’s public transport network while making daily commutes more affordable and sustainable.

Infrastructure Transport

17 Sep 2025

Gurgaon-Pataudi-Rewari Highway Set for Completion by December 2025

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has set a new target to complete the four-lane Gurgaon-Pataudi-Rewari highway by December 2025, following a two-year delay.Originally planned in 2018 to upgrade the two-lane state highway into a national highway, the project is estimated to cost Rs 9 billion. Construction, which began in 2021, was initially scheduled for completion in November 2023. According to NHAI, around 70 per cent of the work is already complete, with two major structures still pending: a railway overbridge at Pahari village and a two-lane unidirectional flyover on Dwarka E..

Infrastructure Transport

17 Sep 2025

UP Plans Rs 900 Million Extensions to Hindon Elevated Road

The Uttar Pradesh state bridge corporation has prepared the detailed project report and cost estimates for two proposed extensions of the 10.3-km Hindon elevated road, officials said on Thursday. The road connects Raj Nagar Extension to UP-Gate near the east Delhi border, and the project is expected to cost around Rs 900 million.The two extensions, each 400 metres long, will be added to the existing elevated road to ensure smoother traffic flow. “One of the extensions will be from near the Kanawani culvert (near Indirapuram) to the elevated road for commuters heading towards Delhi. The other..

Infrastructure Urban

17 Sep 2025

Goa Likely to Miss October Deadline for Maritime Master Plan

Goa is expected to miss the October 31 deadline for submitting its maritime and waterways master plan, which covers the state’s 105 km coastline and river network. The delay is due to the project management consultant not yet being appointed. The plan is now anticipated to be completed by December, Captain of Ports Octavio Rodrigues stated at the India Maritime Week 2025 roadshow.“We have already selected the consultant and will bring them on board within a week. Only then can we begin drafting the master plan, which is essential to secure central government funding,” Rodrigues added.A c..