Suburbs will have to go without BEST power for the next 10 years

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking will not be able to supply electricity to the suburbs for 10 years more. This is because the BEST did not apply for the licence to supply electricity to the suburbs. 

General manager OP Gupta in his budgetary speech on Tuesday told the BEST standing committee that the undertaking will not be able to supply electricity to the suburbs. Many corporators from the suburbs have been asking for electricity from BEST for their areas. 

“The BEST has no licence to supply electricity to the suburbs. When the Maharashtra Electric Regulatory Board (MERC) invited bids for supplying electricity to the suburbs, the BEST did not apply,” said Gupta. However, he did not cite any reason for not doing so. 

An official from the undertaking said: “It will be difficult for the BEST to provide electricity to the suburbs as it does not have any infrastructure there. It not a power generator either.”

In August 2010, MERC floated an expression of interest bid for the suburbs because the licence of Reliance Infrastructure (RInfra), the current distributor, is going to expire on August 15, 2011. But the company has asked for an extension. 

Eight companies were interested in distributing power to about 29 lakh consumers in the suburbs, who have been fighting against tariff hike. 

Gupta said BEST would start 24x7 bill payment centres. “Soon BEST will finalise the proposal. The facility will be available at ward offices and other places,” he said.