Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai
Mumbai, Jun 19: Thousands of commuters across Mumbai faced travel disruptions on Friday after employees of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking launched an indefinite strike, severely affecting bus services across the city.
The agitation, called by the BEST Sanyukt Kamgar Kruti Samiti, a joint action committee comprising 12 employee unions, began shortly after midnight following the breakdown of talks with the BEST administration over a series of long-pending demands.
The strike had an immediate impact on public transport operations, with a large number of buses remaining parked at depots during peak morning hours. Reports indicated that striking employees prevented buses from leaving several of the undertaking's 27 depots, leading to the cancellation of numerous scheduled services.
The disruption particularly affected office-goers, students and daily commuters who depend on BEST buses for affordable transport and last-mile connectivity.
BEST is Mumbai's second-largest public transport provider after the suburban railway network and serves nearly 25 lakh passengers daily through a fleet of around 2,700 buses operating across the city and suburbs.
With bus services disrupted, many commuters were forced to rely on alternative modes of transport, including autorickshaws, taxis, app-based cab services, Metro trains and suburban railways. The sudden increase in demand led to difficulties in securing transport and longer travel times in several parts of the city.
The striking employees have put forward a number of demands, including the merger of the BEST budget with that of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), implementation of Seventh Pay Commission recommendations for the period 2016-2026 and settlement of pending legal dues owed to retired employees.
The unions have also sought an end to contractual employment practices in the transport and electricity departments and the absorption of wet-lease bus workers into the permanent BEST workforce.
Employee representatives said the issues remain unresolved despite multiple rounds of discussions with the administration.
The strike proceeded despite an interim order from an industrial court restraining employees from resorting to industrial action. The Maharashtra government had also invoked the Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act (MESMA), which prohibits disruptions to essential public services.
Mumbai Police warned that strict action would be taken against anyone attempting to obstruct transport operations, prevent employees from reporting for duty or damage public property. Security has been enhanced at bus depots and key transport hubs across the city.
However, not all employee organisations have joined the agitation. The BEST Workers' Union, the undertaking's largest union, stayed away from the strike and said discussions with the management were continuing. Other unions, including the Shramik Utkarsh Sabha and the BEST Kamgar Union, also distanced themselves from the protest, expressing hope that the issues could be resolved through negotiations.
Authorities are also closely monitoring electricity operations, as BEST supplies power to more than 10 lakh consumers in south and central Mumbai. No major disruption to electricity services had been reported at the time of writing.
As the strike entered its first day, normalisation of services depended on further talks between employee unions, the BEST administration and the Maharashtra government, leaving lakhs of commuters uncertain about their daily travel plans.