Mumbai, April 26 -- A ground inspection by a BEST committee has revealed widespread undervaluation of rents and poor upkeep of properties across the city, raising concerns over significant revenue losses at a time when the BEST is under pressure to boost non-fare income. This echoes past concerns reported by the Hindustan Times regarding the undertaking's failure to secure market-standard revenues from its vast land bank. The committee, led by Chairperson Trushna Vishwasrao,included members from both ruling and opposition parties. It inspected sites in Kandivali, Ghatkopar, and Mulund that the administration wants to lease. At Kandivali West, members found inconsistent pricing even within the same premises. "Two units are rented at Rs.149 per sq ft, while adjacent ones are offered at Rs.69. Shops on the ground are operating at much higher rates. This reflects that the administration and the earlier committees are responsible for the low revenue," said BJP leader R Gupta. The situation was no better in Mulund and Ghatkopar. In Mulund, a 6,400 sq ft plot near check naka has remained shut since 2019. While currently valued at Rs.4.8 lakh per month, members said it could fetch closer to Rs.7 lakh. "The administration should have undertaken maintenance works of these plots," said UBT Sena member Sunil Ahir, calling for an investigation. In Ghatkopar East, a 5,500 sq ft plot near the station has been lying unused since 2007, resulting in sustained revenue loss. Officials, however, said the lease rates were based on older market benchmarks. "We are going to re-evaluate the current market rates of these locations," said a BEST official. The issue gains urgency because the state government has asked BEST to generate at least 40% of its revenue from non-fare sources. "We cannot allow public assets to be undervalued while the undertaking survives on grants and loans," Vishwasrao said....