Mumbai, April 17 -- Six years after the Covid-19 pandemic, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking has finally disbursed Rs.30 crore in pending allowances to 9,077 retired employees, who had helped during the pandemic. The payments were made on Wednesday.

The payout aims to compensate staff who operated essential bus services during the 2020 lockdown. While the government promised a daily allowance of Rs.300 for those risking their health on the frontlines, payments abruptly halted after December 2020, leaving thousands of employees in the lurch.

"The retired employees received a Covid allowance for six months in 2020," said a BEST official. Active employees who assisted during the pandemic are yet to receive t...