BEST Projects ₹1,317 Crore Deficit in 2027–28 Budget
By Sitaram Mewati | Mumbai
The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking has projected an overall deficit of ₹1,317.50 crore in its 2027–28 budget. The Budget Estimates were presented on October 7, 2026, by Prajakta Verma, IAS, Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) and General Manager (Additional Charge), BEST Undertaking, to BEST Committee Chairperson Trishna Vishwasrao during the committee meeting.
The budget estimates total income at ₹8,559.06 crore against expenditure of ₹9,876.56 crore. A capital expenditure outlay of ₹647.79 crore has also been proposed.
The transport division is expected to account for the major deficit, with estimated income of ₹3,551.55 crore against expenditure of ₹5,070.26 crore, resulting in a projected shortfall of ₹1,518.71 crore. The electricity supply division, however, is expected to post a surplus of ₹201.21 crore, with income of ₹5,007.51 crore against expenditure of ₹4,806.30 crore.
BEST, which had 2,834 buses as of September 2026, has proposed expanding its fleet in phases to 4,016 buses and eventually to 10,000. The plan includes procurement of 1,500 midi buses under the Centre’s PM-eDrive scheme and tenders for 200 midi CNG buses.
The budget also proposes strengthening the Integrated Transport Management System, with real-time bus tracking, passenger information systems, automatic vehicle location, mobile ticketing and a central command centre.
To improve road safety, BEST plans to introduce advanced driving simulators at its Dindoshi Training Centre for hazard perception, difficult-weather driving and fuel-efficient driving techniques. The undertaking has also proposed open-top double-decker buses for heritage and Hop-On Hop-Off tourism services, adding a tourism-oriented component to its public transport plans.
