We want Diwali bonus at par with BMC staffers: BEST

BEST did not stop its services, even after Mumbai local trains came to a halt during the lockdown. Pic/Ashish Raje

BEST workers on Monday put up for demands of Diwali bonus at par with BMC employees, saying they have put up life at stake to keep the lifeline running.

"Last year, BEST employees were given a bonus of Rs 9,100 after the festival was over, which was Rs 5,900 less than BMC employees. This year, employees have put their life at stake by keeping the Undertaking running, making it the lifeline of the city in the absence of suburban trains and they deserve to be paid at par with BMC employees," Shashank Sharad Rao, trade union leader of the BEST Sanyukta Kamgar Kruti Samiti said.

Meanwhile, BEST committee member Suhas Samant and leader of BEST Kamgar Sena met Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar with a similar demand, also appealing to the BMC Commissioner to provide the pending grant to the BEST undertaking.

Also Read: COVID-19 in Maharashtra: MSRTC to run 1,000 more intra-state buses for Diwali

BEST officials said since the day the lockdown came into effect from March 22, BEST has not stopped its services, even as Mumbai local trains, often referred to as the lifeline of Mumbai, came to a halt. It kept on ferrying essential workers and increased its services progressively and now coming close to inducting its entire fleet of 3,400 buses for passengers.

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