Summary:
Sources said the loss-making undertaking’s salary bill will rise by another Rs 540 crore if all these demands are accepted. It pays Rs 135 crore a month towards their salaries and wages — an annual wage bill of Rs 1,620 crore. The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking’s wage bill will rise by 33 per cent if all demands raised by the striking BEST workers’ unions are to be met. While the BMC had called tenders for wet leasing of 450 new mini and midi buses to add to the BEST’s fleet last year, BEST unions had challenged the move in court. According to calculations by the BEST administration, the minimum ticket fare would have to be raised from Rs 8 at present to Rs 12 to meet the additional demands..