Mumbai: Commuters suffer as BEST bus drivers strike intensifies over salary hike

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus strike intensified on Friday with over 1300 buses off the roads on the third day of the strike. The strike was called by the drivers of private bus operators demanding a hike in their wages. According to news agency PTI, the BEST strike has caused immense inconvenience to commuters as private buses of BEST did not leave 20 depots including Colaba, Worli, Majas, Shivaji Nagar, Ghatkopar, Deonar, Mulund, Santacruz, Oshiwara and Magathane.Drivers of private bus operators SMT or the Daga Group went on strike at the Ghatkopar and Mulund depots, demanding a pay hike. The strikes resulted in 160 hired buses not operating on the first day. However, over 1,000 buses did not leave the depots on Thursday and 1,375 of the total 1,671 leased buses did not leave the depots on the third day.

A BEST official quoted by PTI on Friday said, "The strike by drivers of private bus operators for the salary hike and other demands intensified on the third day. Majority of drivers of the BEST's four big private bus operators - Mateshwari, SMT, Hansa and Tata Motors have joined the strike on Thursday," BEST has hired buses on a wet lease model, which means that the private operators are responsible for vehicle ownership, maintenance, fuel and driver costs. The protesting drivers complain that they have not received adequate salary hikes in the last three years, which has made it difficult for them to manage their household expenses. The private drivers say their salaries are very low compared to those of BEST employees.The strike has been called for salary hike mainly by workers. Aamchi Mumbai Aamchi BEST (AMAB), a citizens’ forum for affordable public transport, blamed the BMC for introducing the wet lease system in the first place. “We are demanding that they end the contract system and double their bus fleet to 6,000 buses. To press our demands, we will hold a protest on August 7 which is ‘BEST Divas’ day,” said Hussain Indorewala, co-convenor of AMAB.