BEST wet lease staffers go on strike over unpaid salaries

Mumbai's BEST faced strikes and safety incidents this week, with drivers demanding unpaid salaries and better pay, highlighting ongoing operational challenges.

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking faced a tumultuous week, marked by strikes and safety incidents involving wet lease buses. On Friday morning, drivers employed by Olectra, a wet lease operator, staged a flash strike at the Mumbai Central bus depot over unpaid salaries, further straining BEST’s operations.

BEST wet lease staffers go on strike over unpaid salaries

The protest began at 6:30 am with drivers refusing to take buses out unless their salaries were credited. “Our salaries are usually disbursed on the 10th of every month, but we haven’t received them yet. We are also underpaid compared to drivers directly employed by BEST and haven’t had a salary hike for years,” said one of the striking drivers.

The drivers, hired by Maurya Company, alleged delays in salary payments as the primary cause for their strike. However, a spokesperson for Olectra clarified, “Only 30% of drivers had delays in receiving overtime payments. Regular salaries were paid on January 10, but overtime calculations were delayed due to Makar Sankranti. These drivers receive ₹26,800 as CTC, with a take-home salary of ₹22,500, the highest among wet lease drivers.”

Olectra provides 5,600 drivers across the state, with 450 of them working for BEST. The strike, which involved 30 drivers, was called off by 2pm on Friday after payments were credited.

This was not an isolated incident. On Thursday, 60-80 drivers at the Kala Killa depot in Dharavi staged a similar strike demanding a salary hike. Services resumed late at night after their demands were addressed. Earlier in the week, on Monday, 210 buses managed by wet lease operator Mateshwari Urban Transport were grounded for nearly five hours. The staff protested the alleged mistreatment of a pregnant conductor, leading to a police complaint at the Wadala TT police station.

Adding to the woes, a wet lease bus caught fire at the Oshiwara depot on Friday afternoon. The bus belonged to a wet lease operator that had withdrawn from operations last year but was retained by BEST. The fire broke out during repair work, reportedly due to overheating. The fire brigade promptly extinguished the flames, preventing injuries, though the vehicle was damaged.

Under the wet lease model, BEST contracts private operators to supply buses and drivers, with the operators responsible for maintenance and staff. However, the model has been plagued with operational challenges, including driver grievances over stagnant pay, extended working hours, and insufficient leave, coupled with growing concerns about vehicle safety.

BEST spokesperson Sudas Sawant acknowledged the situation, stating, “We are addressing these issues to ensure minimal disruption to our services.”