Over 300 buses stay off-road in Mumbai as BEST drivers go on flash strike

The civic transport body could not operate 308 bus services during the day due to the flash strike, which has affected the services in Bandra, Kurla, and Vikhroli depots.

MUMBAI: Nearly 300 buses belonging to Mumbai's civic transport undertaking BEST remained off roads on Thursday due to a flash strike by drivers over non-payment of salaries, causing inconvenience to scores of passengers. According to reports, BET has acquired these minibuses on lease from a private contractor.

Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking spokesperson Manoj Varade said the minibus services operating out of Bandra, Kurla and Vikhroli depots were affected due to the strike. 

The civic transport body could not operate 308 bus services during the day, he said. He, however, added that BEST operated 113 extra buses to avoid inconvenience to commuters. 

Since Tuesday morning, most drivers of MP Group, the contractor from whom BEST has taken buses on a lease, operating from the three depots (out of five) have stayed away from work to protest against the non-payment of salaries. 

Over 160 of 275 mini-buses were off roads on the first day of the stir. This is the second strike by the MP Group drivers in less than a month. On April 22 too, they had stayed away from work. The BEST undertaking ferries over 30 lakh commuters daily with a fleet of around 3,500 buses, including those hired from private contractors. 

(With PTI Inputs)