2 min readMumbaiFeb 26, 2026 07:20 PM ISTThe meeting marked the committee’s first sitting in five years. (File photo)The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Committee on Wednesday approved compensation of Rs 40.5 lakh in seven bus accident cases and cleared five insurance-linked claims worth Rs 1.39 lakh.The meeting marked the committee’s first sitting in five years, with the newly constituted panel taking up long-pending financial proposals, including accident compensation cases involving BEST buses.The seven accident cases had originally sought compensation totalling Rs 83 lakh. Following proceedings before the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal and compromise settlements finalised in a Lok Adalat on December 13, the committee approved payouts of Rs 40.5 lakh—around 51 per cent lower than the total amount claimed.In addition, five insurance-related claims involving companies such as New India Insurance, National General Insurance and Cholamandalam General Insurance were settled for Rs 1.39 lakh against claims of Rs 1.99 lakh.During the meeting, Shiv Sena (UBT) member Nitin Nandgaonkar questioned the bona fides of the beneficiaries and the verification process followed before placing the proposals for approval. He said providing only a summary chart was inadequate and demanded complete documentation in each case.“For every accident, we must have the FIR copy, details of where the accident occurred, what exactly happened, and full supporting documents,” Nandgaonkar said. “Just giving Aadhaar card, PAN card and bank account numbers is not enough. We need to verify who these people are before approving the payments.”Responding to the objections, committee chairperson Trushna Vishwasrao said the compensation amounts were determined in accordance with court orders and judicial assessment.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:BESTMumbai