BEST Strike Halts Mumbai Bus Services on Second Day, Commuters Hit Hard
The strike by employees of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking entered its second day on Saturday, bringing bus operations in Mumbai to a near-complete halt.
According to BEST officials, only four wet-lease buses were plying on Saturday morning against a scheduled deployment of 2,767 buses. By 2 pm, bus operations had stopped entirely, with zero buses running out of the planned 2,665 services. While around 246 BEST-owned buses had been restored, none could leave depots as striking employees refused to report for operational duties.
Despite 263 BEST personnel—including inspectors, starters, drivers and conductors—and nine wet-lease bus drivers reporting for duty by Saturday evening, the turnout was insufficient to resume services.
The strike, led by the BEST Sanyukt Kamgar Kruti Samiti—a joint action committee of 12 unions—began at midnight on Thursday. Key demands include merging the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) 'C' budget allocated to BEST with its main 'A' budget, lump sum payment of pending legal dues to retired employees, reducing the undertaking's reliance on contractual operators, and absorbing wet-lease employees into the permanent workforce.
The disruption forced commuters to rely on auto-rickshaws, taxis, and app-based cab services for last-mile connectivity. At Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), many waited 20 to 30 minutes before making alternate arrangements. Navi Mumbai resident Ruksana, who had travelled to south Mumbai with her four-year-old daughter Ayesha, said she was unaware of the suspension of bus services.
Long queues for shared auto-rickshaws and taxis formed at several locations during morning peak hours. While striking employees expressed sympathy for inconvenienced commuters, they remained firm on their demands. A conductor from the Backbay depot questioned why there was no public outrage comparable to past instances when BEST routes were curtailed.
BEST officials requested the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) to arrange an additional 100 buses. For the NEET re-examination scheduled on Sunday across 63 centres in Mumbai, the administration arranged 60 additional buses between 9 am and 1 pm and again from 5 pm to 7 pm, with instructions for depot managers to facilitate operations.
The strike continues despite a meeting between union representatives and State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on Friday evening. Sarnaik appealed to workers to withdraw the agitation, warning of hardship to students, office-goers, senior citizens, and other commuters. Union leaders thanked the minister for facilitating discussions but alleged that BEST administration failed to accurately convey the outcome of the meeting.
