Mumbai BEST bus strike: How the stir leaves BKC commuters stranded; check routes, timings, and affected areas today | India, -Maharashtra News | Zee News

An innovative ‘Friday Public Transport Day’ campaign by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is threatened with an existential danger in the prestigious Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC). As civic transport system geared up for a huge shock wave, Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) workers announced a total strike from Friday onwards.

The campaign, initiated last week, inspires thousands of corporate executives operating in Mumbai’s premier commercial hub to park their private conveyances. This campaign aims to use the mass transport system to reduce heavy congestion and polluted atmosphere in the region. Over 70 elite organisations have offered their structural support to the environment-friendly initiative.

For effective handling of the expected influx in commuter demand on Friday, BEST officials planned to increase the number of buses on existing bus routes in the region.

Ordinarily, the civic authority operates 976 daily runs via 16 bus routes by utilizing 125 buses in the local fleet. In addition to these 16 bus routes, the civic officials decided to add 12 more regular buses and 4 additional high-frequency buses in order to serve on the busiest BKC-3 route.

Additionally, BEST planned to deploy 104 luxury buses through its mobile application named ‘Chalo Premium’ to provide services to corporate executives. Some critical feeder routes between crucial transport points such as Kurla Railway Station, Bandra Terminus, and Swavalamban Bhavan were also planned to increase their deployment. However, this entire operational plan hangs by a thread.

The impending traffic deadlock comes on the heels of a crucial Thursday evening session where the BEST Joint Workers’ Action Committee made a unanimous decision to conduct their indefinite strike.

This has led to an important escalation where union leaders have confirmed that the strike has been successful in expanding from permanent employees to contractual workers. “Strike is on. In addition, we have also talked to wet lease employees who will also join it,” commented Committee President Uday Ambonkar.

Labor Unions have raised some complete demands that include the following:

• The permanent absorption of wet lease contractual employees within the official payroll of the BEST.
• Immediate purchase of 5,000 wholly owned BEST buses.
• New recruitments along with pending promotions for senior officials.
• Complete immunity provided to BEST’s property from long-term commercial exploitation or private letting.
• The formal merger of BEST’s budget into that of its parent organisation Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
• Quick clearance of arrears of pending payments to be made to the retired transit workers.

With travelers facing a tough time on account of delays and high prices from auto rickshaws and taxis, BEST is fighting back with a legal approach.

It was found out by BEST authorities that the Industrial Court had taken a serious step by issuing an interim order which legally restrains all employees including union members and wet-let operators from going on strike. 

Although the court’s order makes the strike illegal in technical terms, the situation is quite explosive on the ground due to possible defiance by the union.