Mumbai: Forgot money in BEST bus? Pay 14% charge to claim it

MUMBAI: You will have to shell out 14% charge for 'forgetfulness' while claiming cash left behind in BEST buses, while it will be a nominal charge of up to Rs 50 for other articles such as bags and mobile phones.
This was revealed by the BEST lost and found department at Wadala which has a huge vault that safeguards all lost cash and valuables "for a price". Sources said the valuables include lost gold, silver and diamond jewellery, for which you pay separate charges too.
According to a senior official, cash lost in buses can be claimed without paying any charge if it's done within three days when it is kept at the nearest depot, but once it is transferred to the Wadala lost & found section, the 14% charge will apply.
The latest statistics from BEST shows that 133 gold, silver and diamond jewellery pieces and cash (including pound sterling, euros and dollars) totally valued at over Rs 27 lakh were left behind in buses during the pandemic. Overall, 43% of cash and mobile phones have been claimed while the rest are in the locker, the sources said, adding that cash and valuables worth more than Rs 1 crore have been lost in BEST buses over the past decade.
Of the lost property, conductors came across 2,000 mobile phones left behind by commuters in buses. This was besides more than 200 branded watches, pen drives, power banks, laptops, etc. and over 3,200 sundry articles such as clothes, utensils, bags and spectacles.
During the monsoons between 2020 and 2021, close to 7,000 umbrellas were left behind by passengers. Not surprisingly, only 215 umbrellas were claimed by owners.
Officials said there is a strong vault at the Wadala depot where all the valuables and cash are safely ensconced. "It is a fact that we take good care of the lost property and have a well laid procedure for commuters to claim it," BEST general manager Lokesh Chandra said.
While the BEST depot has storage space for missing items, it cannot keep perishable goods for long.
Sources said articles such as mobile phones are kept for 1-2 months and later auctioned at the depot in Oshiwara.