If you’ve been to Mumbai or lived there, you know that public transport is the city’s lifeline. Trains and buses help people avoid the stress of driving through heavy traffic and make daily travel more convenient. However, bus services across Mumbai have now been affected as employees of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking have begun a strike. Read on to know more!
BEST Bus Services Hit As Employees Begin Indefinite Strike
The BEST employees in Mumbai have gone on an indefinite strike, resulting in affected bus services. As per NDTV, due to the strike, only a few buses were able to leave the city’s 27 BEST depots. The agitation has majorly affected daily commuters, who were left stranded during peak working hours and had to look for alternative modes of transport.
With employees on strike and BEST buses not operating as usual, Mumbaikars have had to rely on autorickshaws, taxis, app-based cab services, and the Metro. The strike was organised by the BEST Sanyukt Kamgar Kruti Samiti. It is a group that includes 12 employee unions. Although BEST officials have not yet shared details about the exact impact of the strike, its effects could be seen in different parts of Mumbai.
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Which Area Are Expected To Affect?
The strike is likely to affect bus services in key areas of Mumbai, including Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), Kurla, Bandra, parts of South Mumbai, and the city’s central and eastern suburbs. As per ET, to reduce the impact, BEST has increased bus services on several routes to reduce travel difficulties for people commuting to Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC). Additional buses have been deployed on routes connecting Kurla Station, Bandra Bus Station, Swavalamban Bhavan, and the CA Institute. Apart from this, 104 app-based Chalo Premium buses will also operate in the BKC area.
In the strike, the employees have put forward several demands, including the merger of the BEST budget with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) budget, settlement of pending legal dues of retired employees through a one-time arrangement, implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations for the period between 2016 and 2026, and more BEST-owned buses be added to the fleet.
The employees also want BEST to stop hiring workers through contract and wet-lease systems. They are demanding that these workers be given permanent jobs and be officially included in the BEST workforce. The employees believe that ₹500-crore BMC allocation was helpful but not completely.
Officials Warn Against Disrupting Public Services
The strike started even though authorities had tried to stop it. An industrial court had ordered employees not to go on strike. The Maharashtra government had enforced the Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act (MESMA). It’s a law that bans disruptions to important public services. However, despite these measures, the employees went ahead with the strike.
Two organisations, the Shramik Utkarsh Sabha and the BEST Kamgar Union, have chosen to stay away from the strike. They are in talks with the administration and the Maharashtra government to come up with a solution.
If you’re in Mumbai, plan your travel across the city wisely!
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Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons/ Rsrikanth05
FAQs
Why BEST bus employees are protesting in Mumbai?
BEST bus employees are protesting over demands such as better pay and benefits, regularisation of contract workers, clearance of pending dues, and increased financial support for the transport.
Why have bus services in Mumbai been disrupted?
Bus services in Mumbai have been disrupted because BEST employees have gone on an indefinite strike.
Which areas in Mumbai have been affected by BEST bus employees strike?
The BEST bus strike is expected to affect areas such as Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), Kurla, Bandra, parts of South Mumbai, and the city's central and eastern suburbs.