Mumbai, June 5 (IANS) In a bid to ensure the comprehensive revival of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday directed authorities to prepare an ambitious blueprint focusing on depot development, staff housing, creation of public amenities, and long-term financial self-sustainability.

Emphasising absolute transparency, the Chief Minister ordered all concerned agencies to work in close coordination.

He stressed that the final blueprint for BEST must centre around three core pillars: the welfare of citizens, the well-being of employees, and the long-term development of Mumbai city.

The directives were issued during a high-level review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Fadnavis on Friday to discuss the modernisation of various BEST bus depots.

“The operation of BEST is not the responsibility of a single organisation, but a collective responsibility of Mumbai City, the Municipal Corporation, and the state government,” the Chief Minister said, highlighting the need for continuous dialogue between all government and non-government stakeholders.

According to Chief Minister Fadnavis, the modernisation of BEST depots will be executed in two phases, alongside a phased expansion of the bus fleet.

He explicitly clarified that BEST-owned land will not be sold.

“Instead, spaces will be developed using a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model with financial partners. The ownership of the land and assets will strictly remain with BEST under a long-term lease model.”

He also added: “Depot monetisation will not be purely commercial. Plans include integrating museums, sports facilities, cultural centres, and social infrastructure.”

He suggested exploring the concept of dedicated mini-theatres (300 to 400-seating capacity) within select depots to showcase Marathi cinema at subsidised screen rates.

He said that high-quality, modern residential complexes will be constructed to elevate the living standards of BEST employees.

Aligning with the national vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ and ‘Viksit Maharashtra’, the Chief Minister instructed officials to draft a 22-year long-term economic plan for BEST.

“This roadmap must thoroughly evaluate future bus fleet requirements, manpower needs, revenue generation, and expenditure control.”

He mandated that project execution rights should only be awarded to institutions possessing high financial and technical capabilities.

To avoid bureaucratic delays, the Chief Minister ordered that all project approvals, permits, and administrative planning be completed in the preparatory phase itself.

Addressing Mumbai’s critical parking crisis, he noted that generating extensive public parking spaces through these depot projects would be a major contribution to the city’s infrastructure.

In a major move to decongest Mumbai’s internal roads, Chief Minister Fadnavis directed the transformation of erstwhile octroi plazas at the city’s entry points into multi-modal transport hubs.

“The targeted entry points include Dahisar, Mankhurd, Anand Nagar (Mulund), LBS Road and Airoli Naka. These plazas will be developed equipped with parking lots and passenger boarding/alighting facilities for external private buses.”

“By setting up these facilities at the borders, private tourist buses will not need to enter the city, significantly easing Mumbai’s traffic congestion,” the Chief Minister added.

He also directed officials to hold separate, coordinated discussions with the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation to align intercity government bus operations with this new hub model.

The Chief Minister concluded by demanding a strict, time-bound scheduled program from all departments to ensure the project moves from blueprint to reality at maximum speed.

–IANS

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