The cash-strapped Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) released its employees’ delayed November salary early this week. Though the salary amount was unchanged, it carried more weight, literally. Unlike every month, BEST paid the salary – around Rs 1.5 crore to 35,000 employees – in coins.

Employees received a portion of the salary, around Rs 400 each, in Rs 10 coins. “I have received Rs 400 of the salary amount in Rs 10 coins,” said a staffer from Dadar workshop.

Another BEST staffer working at Worli said the remaining salary amount got deposited in the account as usual. “We have no choice but to accept this,” he said, adding that they don’t know what to do with so many Rs 10 coins, which many people and shopkeepers are reluctant to accept.

Around 29 lakh people travel on BEST buses on a daily basis. Owing to ticket selling and other sources, Rs 10 coins worth Rs 75 lakh get deposited in BEST coffers every month.

BEST requires over Rs 70 crores to pay all salaries. “Generally, we exhaust these coins by giving it to private parties, BEST-approved vendors and bus pass chowkies,” said a senior BEST officer.

“Due to heavy accumulation of these coins, we are exhausting these by paying partial salary in coins,” he said.

They were compelled to do this as their bank refused to accept Rs 10 coins, he said, adding that a similar situation had taken place a few yeas ago when they had been compelled to pay partial salary in coins.

According to BEST officials, each conductor is given Rs 100 in denominations of Rs 1, Rs 2, or Rs 5 as per their choice, before they start their duty.

The century-old undertaking is currently going through a financial crisis since April 2017, owing to various reasons including reduced ridership. Since then, the debt-ridden transport body has also been unable to give the monthly salaries of its employees on time and has also not paid its dues, such as gratuity to retired employees.

First Published: Dec 21, 2018 10:57 IST