Mumbai, April 8 -- The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking has sought a one-time aid of Rs.4,000 crore from its parent organisation, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), to tide over financial crisis and expand its own fleet, BEST officials told Hindustan Times. Authorities from the transport utility met the new BMC commissioner Ashwini Bhide earlier this month, and sought the funds to clear dues of retired BEST employees, pay off loans and purchase self-owned buses, the officials said. Last month, BEST chairperson Trushna Vishwasrao had met former BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani and sought Rs.3,000 crore as one-time aid. Asked about the demand for enhanced aid, Vishwasrao told HT, "We are glad that the administration has taken the initiative forward and demanded Rs.4,000 crore. This gratuity money and other dues are rightfully theirs (BEST staff) which we have not paid." While the BEST Undertaking requires at least Rs.1,500 crore to clear the dues of some employees, it has taken two loans amounting to Rs.400 crore at high interest rates in recent months to meet day-to-day expenses, officials said. "Some portion of the one-time aid will be used to strengthen our fleet as we are hoping to add 2,000-2,500 buses this financial year, to take the total fleet strength to 5,000," a senior BEST official said, requesting anonymity. While the undertaking awaits supply of vehicles from contracted bus manufacturers, it has also approached the Ministry of Heavy Industries, seeking 1,500 out of the 10,000 e-buses that will be deployed across the country under the 'PM e-Bus Sewa' scheme, said Sonia Sethi, General Manager, BEST undertaking. "We are making every effort to add 2,000-2,500 new buses to BEST's fleet in this financial year so that Mumbai commuters can have a comfortable travel experience," she said. "If the central government accepts our demand, some buses from the PM e-Bus Sewa scheme may also arrive this financial year." BEST officials said if the Ministry of Heavy Industries accepts its demand, the undertaking would have to float tenders for manufacturing the e-buses while the central government would make payments to the contracted firms. "This is the first time that BEST has applied for a scheme where the central government is directly involved. In the past, under the FAME scheme, we used to call for tenders and appoint bus manufacturers, and later seek subsidies from the centre," the official quoted earlier said. Another BEST official said the undertaking has asked bus manufacturers to expedite supply of pending vehicles. BEST workers unions supported the administration's demand for an enhanced one-time aid from the BMC. "The BMC is the parent organisation which needs to fulfill the BEST's financial needs. Moreover, gratuity and other dues are the right of retired employees which have not been paid," said Shashank Sharad Rao, who heads the BEST Workers' Union. BEST committee member Sunil Ganacharya said the BEST administration was being unjust by asking retired employees to vacate staff quarters and levying hefty fines even as it denied the retired employees their rightful dues....