BEST strike brings Mumbai to a halt as buses stay off roads

Mumbai faced major travel problems on Friday morning after a strike by BEST workers badly affected bus services across the city. BEST buses are one of the most important ways for people to travel in Mumbai, and their sudden absence caused chaos during rush hours.

Out of the total 2,766 BEST buses, only 32 were able to run on the roads. This meant thousands of people were left waiting at bus stops, trying to find other ways to reach work, school, or other destinations.

For a city like Mumbai, where lakhs of people depend on public transport every day, this strike created a serious problem. BEST buses are often called the “lifeline” of Mumbai because they connect many parts of the city and are cheaper than taxis or cabs.

Normally, buses arrive every 10 to 15 minutes, and in busy areas even faster. But on Friday morning, many routes had no buses at all.

The strike started after midnight on Thursday and was called by the BEST Sanyukt Kamgar Kruti Samiti, a joint committee of 12 labour unions. The workers say they are unhappy because many of their demands have not been fulfilled.

Why workers went on strike

The workers have raised several demands. One of their main demands is that BEST’s budget should be merged with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) budget. They believe this will make funding easier and improve the condition of the transport system.

They are also asking for a one-time payment of pending legal dues for retired employees. Many retired workers have been waiting for these payments for a long time.

Another important demand is the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations for the period from 2016 to 2026. Workers say they deserve salary revisions and better benefits.

The unions also want an end to contractual jobs in both the transport and electricity departments. According to them, contract workers often face job insecurity and lower pay.

They are also demanding that workers employed under the wet-lease bus system should be made permanent employees of BEST.

A wet-lease system means buses are hired from private companies, along with drivers and staff. At present, many BEST buses work under this system.

Most of the buses that operate in Mumbai today are wet-lease buses.

According to reports, 38 buses tried to leave depots on Friday morning, but six of them had to return because of stone-pelting and obstruction by striking workers.

This made the situation even worse.

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Commuters face huge trouble

Because buses were missing from the roads, many commuters had no choice but to use local trains, metro services, auto-rickshaws, taxis, or app-based cab services.

This increased crowding in trains and metro stations, and fares for cabs also became expensive due to high demand.

Many office-goers said they faced delays and stress.

One commuter, Sachin Nalawade, said that he usually travels by public transport, but because there were no buses, he had to take his bike to work.

For many people, taking private transport is not always possible. Some had to spend extra money, while others were late for work.

Students also faced worry, especially because the NEET re-examination is scheduled for June 21.

Former Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale has written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, asking him to step in and solve the issue quickly.

He said that thousands of medical students appearing for the NEET exam could be badly affected if transport problems continue.

He also requested the government to arrange special transport, such as shuttle buses or school buses, to help students reach their exam centres on time.

The strike is especially serious because BEST is Mumbai’s second-largest public transport system after the suburban railway network.

Even though the court had passed an ad-interim order against the strike, and the Maharashtra government had used the Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act (MESMA) to stop disruption of important services, the workers still went ahead with the strike.

MESMA is a law that prevents workers in essential services from stopping work because it can affect public life badly.

Still, the strike has continued, showing how strong the workers’ anger is.

People in Mumbai are now hoping for a quick solution. If the strike continues for many more days, it could create bigger problems for daily life in the city.

Offices, schools, hospitals, and markets all depend on public transport. Without buses, travel becomes harder and more expensive.

For now, commuters are adjusting with whatever transport they can find, but many are worried about how long this situation will last.

The city that never stops slowed down on Friday, all because its buses stayed off the roads.