After almost five years of delays, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) has commenced the distribution of Rs 29.22 crore in outstanding Covid-19 allowances to 9,077 retired employees. <\/p>\n
This allowance was established in 2020, offering Rs 300 per day to personnel who were involved in essential services during the lockdown, when BEST buses remained operational despite strict restrictions. Although payments were made for the initial lockdown phase, the provision was halted after December 2020, leading to unpaid dues for the following months.<\/p>\n
Union representatives acknowledge that while the recent payment is a positive development, it does not fully address all outstanding issues. \u201cThe Covid allowance has finally been issued after a lengthy delay of nearly five years. However, gratuity payments for many employees are still outstanding, and around 1,000 workers have yet to receive the allowance,\u201d stated Shashank Rao.<\/p>\n
The prolonged delay has largely been attributed to financial difficulties faced by BEST. In August 2025, with assistance from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the organization had previously released an earlier payment of Rs 52 crore to approximately 19,400 employees. <\/p>\n
This payment was part of a total approved allocation of Rs 78 crore, leaving a significant portion still unpaid until now. A BEST official noted that the current distribution is being executed in phases and includes retired employees who had raised concerns regarding delays in receiving their post-retirement dues.<\/p>\n
According to BEST, a total of Rs 105.32 crore has already been distributed to active employees in four installments. \u201cMost beneficiaries have been accounted for, and the remaining cases are under review, with 817 cases (amounting to Rs 2.09 crore) pending verification. We are also addressing other outstanding payments, including gratuity,\u201d the official added.<\/p>\n
Despite these advancements, officials have not provided a timeline for resolving the remaining dues. With a workforce of approximately 33,700, some employees are still waiting for either full or partial payments.<\/p>\n
Naresh S serves as a Trainee Correspondent for The Indian Express in Mumbai. He is a graduate of Xavier\u2019s Institute of Communication (XIC) and has a keen interest in civic matters and policy-related issues. Currently, he covers the transport sector, focusing on suburban railways, BEST bus services, and aviation, with a commitment to in-depth analysis and research-driven reporting.<\/p>\n
Core Coverage Areas: Naresh\u2019s reporting emphasizes urban mobility and public systems in Mumbai, with particular attention to transport infrastructure, commuter safety, and policy implementation. His work is based on thorough research and data, aimed at elucidating the functioning or failures of large public systems for everyday commuters.<\/p>\n
Transport (Primary Beat): His primary focus is on transport, encompassing coverage of Mumbai\u2019s suburban railways and BEST bus services. His reporting includes detailed analysis of significant events, such as the Mumbra train accident and its safety consequences, as well as follow-up stories addressing long-standing issues like the delayed introduction of automatic doors on Mumbai local trains. He also monitors infrastructure development, operational disruptions, and policy decisions that impact daily commuters, often utilizing an explanatory approach in his storytelling.<\/p>\n
Aviation (Secondary Beat): Additionally, Naresh covers aviation and airport infrastructure, including developments related to the Navi Mumbai International Airport project. His aviation reports have addressed incidents such as the IndiGo flight disruptions in December 2025, highlighting their effects on passengers, regulatory responses, and systemic challenges within civil aviation operations.<\/p>\n
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After almost five years of delays, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) has commenced the distribution of Rs 29.22 crore in outstanding Covid-19 allowances to 9,077 retired employees. This allowance was established in 2020, offering Rs 300 per day to personnel who were involved in essential services during the lockdown, when BEST buses […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":10320,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[78,40,144],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10321","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in-cities","category-india","category-in-mumbai"],"yoast_head":"\n