Mumbai’s crucial BEST bus services are set to resume following the indefinite strike by its employees being called off late on Sunday night. The decision came after a series of meetings between the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking’s employee unions and Maharashtra government officials, including Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik.
The strike, which had entered its third day and severely disrupted the daily commute for lakhs of Mumbaikars, was withdrawn after the government agreed to several key demands put forth by the workers. These included an interim monthly wage hike of ₹3,000 for permanent employees and ₹2,000 for contract or wet-lease workers. Additionally, the government committed to releasing pending gratuity payments for retired employees within the current financial year.
Information was available with The Chenab Times indicating that the agreement was reached during a marathon meeting held at the Sahyadri Guest House. The discussions focused on resolving the deadlock over long-pending employee demands, which had brought the city’s public transport system to a near standstill since Friday, June 19. The nearly three-day strike saw over 22,000 employees refraining from work, affecting an estimated 23 lakh commuters daily.
The BEST undertaking, which operates a fleet of 2,766 buses and serves approximately 25 lakh passengers daily, making it a vital part of Mumbai’s transport infrastructure, had only managed to ply a fraction of its services during the strike. On the first day, only 48 buses operated, and on subsequent days, services were severely limited, pushing commuters to rely on local trains, Metro services, taxis, and autorickshaws.
Beyond the immediate wage increase and gratuity settlement, the government has also assured improvements in employee facilities, such as canteen and washroom amenities. Discussions on other pending demands are slated to continue over the next 15 days, with Deputy Chief Minister Shinde assuring that efforts would be made to enhance employee welfare and strengthen BEST financially. This includes plans to procure 5,000 new electric vehicles over the next three years to modernize the fleet.
The resolution of the strike is seen as a significant relief for Mumbai’s commuters, who faced immense inconvenience, especially as the monsoon showers began in the city. While some commuters expressed happiness over the strike’s end, concerns were raised about the overall condition of the buses and potential privatization rumors.
The unions had presented a range of demands, including the merger of BEST’s budget with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) main budget, implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations, settlement of dues for retired employees, reduction of reliance on contractual bus operators, and the absorption of wet-lease workers into the BEST workforce. The government’s commitment to address these issues, alongside immediate financial concessions, paved the way for the strike’s withdrawal.
During the strike, BEST had arranged for special services using buses from the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) to facilitate students appearing for the NEET examinations, as well as for general commuters to mitigate the disruption. The return of BEST buses to the roads is expected to gradually ease the travel pressure on other public transport modes in the city.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
