The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has been accused of using over eight-year-old buses in Mumbai in its support to BEST, in violation of high court orders. Transporters and bus associations questioned the concessions to MSRTC, which refuted the claims.

As per guidelines, the life of diesel vehicles is eight years and that of CNG vehicles is 15 years. In 2000, a committee headed by former transport commissioner V M Lal observed that "pollution levels in Mumbai had reached an unprecedented level", and had made 101 recommendations to overcome this.