Mumbai: BEST bus services affected as wet lease drivers go on flash strike

Bus services of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport BEST undertaking were affected on many routes in Mumbai on Wednesday as contractual employees of a private bus operator hired by the public transport body went on a flash strike in the morningA BEST spokesperson told news agency PTI that employees of the private bus operator SMT also known as the Daga Group stopped work at Ghatkopar and Mulund depots of BEST in the eastern suburbs over their demand for salary hike affecting services on several bus routesThe BEST undertaking which provides public bus services in the metropolis has hired buses from a few contractors including the Daga Group on a wet lease model under which private operators own the vehicles besides holding the responsibility of maintenance fuel and salaries of driversThe public transport body has not yet disclosed the exact extent of impact on its services due to the flash strike by employees of the private bus operator but some BEST employees claimed several routes where services were operated with the Daga Groups buses were severely hit reported PTIThe BEST undertaking daily ferries more than 30 lakh commuters on its buses in Mumbai and neighbouring Thane Navi Mumbai and MiraBhayander cities with its fleet of nearly 3100 buses Out of these the public transport body owns 1340 busesThe Daga Group could not be reached for comments in the matter reported PTIMeanwhile the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport BEST undertaking has sought Rs 3419 crore from the city civic body to procure 2237 buses a letter by the transport authority revealed reported PTIThe BESTs new general manager Vijay Singhal last month wrote to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal seeking Rs 3419 crore financial assistance to purchase 2237 buses in a phased manner reported PTIThe transport body in the letter stated that as per clause no 3 in a memorandum of understanding MoU signed with BEST Workers Union on June 11 2019 it is necessary for it to maintain 3337 buses in its fleetHighlighting the need for procuring 2237 new buses the transport body stated that it scrapped 1696 of its buses before the end of March and 541 more are expected to be removed this financial yearUnder the Capital Work Budget a provision of Rs 25839125 lakh was made in 202223 budget for 1696 electric buses and Rs 8355275 lakh is made in 202324 budget for 541 electric buses the letter stated reported PTIThe BESTs fleet has come down to 3100 from around 3500 buses a few years ago officials told PTIAccording to labour union leaders the BESTs financial condition is delicate as it suffers monthly operating losses of Rs 250 crore in absence of the assured financial assistance from the BMCFormer member of BEST committee and labour union leader Sunil Ganachary blamed the civic body for the BESTs financial troublesThe BESTs income decreased as the BMC asked it to slash ticket prices Isnt it the civic bodys moral responsibility to pay the difference in income and expenditure The BMC had given a written assurance to fill the viability gap but it is not paying the same Ganachary told PTIHe further said the BEST had sought Rs 6500 crore from the BMC but it has paid just Rs 800 crore which is not even 15 per centAs per the Mumbai Municipal Act 1888 it is the BMCs responsibility to provide transport services and power to the citizens and hence it is obligated to provide financial assistance to the BEST said Suhas Nalawade labour union leader and former BEST officialThe civic body should start the process of merging the BEST with it and make it part and parcel of the civic body like the hydraulic and storm water drain departments Suhas Nalawade told PTIDespite repeated attempts the BMC chief did not respond to the query about the letter for financial assistance from the BESTNotably in a press conference conducted on July 2 the BMC chief had claimed that the civic body has paid Rs 2567 crore to the BEST towards payment of gratuity and pension dues of its retired employeesWith inputs from PTI