Mumbai: BEST bus services hit for third consecutive day

Commuters who use the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking BESTbus services faced major inconveniences on Friday after private leased employeesmdashwho currently operate a large number of the busesmdashwent on a strike for the third consecutive dayThe strike by the drivers of private bus operators hired by the BEST Mumbais civic transport utility intensified on the third day on Friday with more than 1300 buses staying off roads causing immense inconvenience to commuters using the serviceA spokesperson of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport BEST said that as many as 1375 out of the total 1671 private buses of the civic transport service did not leave 18 depots including Colaba Worli Majas Shivaji Nagar Ghatkopar Deonar Mulund Santacruz Oshiwara and Magathane since morningThe strike by drivers of private bus operators for the salary hike and other demands intensified on the third day Majority of drivers of the BESTs four big private bus operators Mateshwari SMT Hansa and Tata Motors have joined the strike on Thursday a BEST official saidOn Thursday more than 60 per cent of the total 1671 private buses of the civic transport service BEST in Mumbai did not ply on the second day of drivers strike for salary hike and other demandsAs many as 1009 of the 1671 buses hired from private operators did not leave 12 depots of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking BEST across the city causing immense inconvenience to commutersThe buses leased by BEST from the private firm SMT also known as Daga Group were the worst affected on the second day 473 of its 579 buses remained off the roads In addition 369 of 400 buses of Mateshwari 155 of 340 buses of Tata Motors and 12 of 280 buses of Hansa stayed inside the depotsThe drivers of the buses of other private operators namely Olectra ETrans and Switch Mobility did not take part in the strikeA BEST spokesperson told PTI that it is trying to run as many of its own buses as possibleThe undertaking has directed the private operators to resolve the issue as early as possible and necessary action was being taken against these companies as per the terms and conditions of the lease agreements the official told PTIMore than 2000 drivers of private bus operators gathered at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai on Thursday afternoon as part of the protestOn Wednesday drivers of the Daga Group went on a flash strike at the Ghatkopar and Mulund depots over their demand of salary hike The strike intensified on Thursday as drivers of Mateshwari and Tata Motors also joined inThe operations of leased buses were severely hampered at Ghatkopar Mulund Shivaji Nagar Worli and eight other depots since morning officials told PTIThe protesting drivers have claimed that they did not get adequate salary raise in the last three years and find it difficult to manage household expenses Their salaries are quite low compared to those of BEST employees they saidBEST has hired buses on a wet lease model under which private operators have the responsibility of the vehicle ownership maintenance fuel and driver costsBESTs fleet of around 3100 buses including its own 1340 buses ferries more than 30 lakh people in Mumbai and neighbouring Thane Navi Mumbai and MiraBhayander every dayWith inputs from PTI