Bus strike causes havoc for fourth day

Contract BEST workers strike at Azad Maidan. Pic/Ashish Raje

With no solution in sight, BEST bus commuters suffered for the fourth consecutive day as 18 bus depots were hit due to the strike call of contractual employees on Saturday. The BEST administration has been repeatedly directing contractors to get the issue resolved. In the interim, the government has utilised Maharashtra state transport buses. The BEST undertaking has also pressed into service its self-owned buses, but they are still falling short.

"A total of 1,077 buses did not operate due to the strike called by the workers of private bus supply contractors on Saturday. The 18 affected bus depots include Deonar, Shivaji Nagar, Ghatkopar, Mulund, Marol, Majas, Dindoshi, Shivaji Nagar, Oshiwara, Malvani, Gorai and Magathane. We are trying our best to operate as many buses as possible to avoid commuter inconvenience and even roped in buses of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) for the purpose," a BEST spokesperson said.

"The BEST administration held a meeting with contract companies to get the issues resolved. Of the 150 state transport buses, 104 buses were operated till 4 pm," the spokesperson added. The wet-lease contractors' employees have been striking for better wages and also demanding better amenities at bus depots. At present, the undertaking has a fleet of about 3,061 buses of which 1,671 belong to wet-lease contractors and 1,390 belong to the BEST. The undertaking has said it will penalise contractors and levy fines of '5,000 per bus, per day as long as the strike continues.