Commuters suffer as drivers of wet leased buses go on strike for salary dues

The drivers went on a protest in the bus depots from Friday morning as their contractors delayed their salaries by up to two months

MUMBAI: Several passengers travelling by the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking buses suffered commuting woes during the peak hours on Friday after drivers of the leased buses went on a flash strike for the second day.

BEST bus employees from various depots protest against non-payment of salaries for the last three months, outside Bandra bus depot on Friday. (Vijay Bate/HT Photo)

The drivers went on a protest in the bus depots as their contractors delayed their salaries by up to two months.

On Thursday, the flash strike was called on after discussions with the private contractor in the afternoon and on Friday, the strike was called off in the evening.

Passengers travelling on the feeder routes, particularly by midi and mini-Air-Conditioned (AC) and non-AC coaches were impacted as 201 buses were not operational till Friday afternoon.

Feeder route passengers particularly travelled towards hospitals and railway stations and were impacted due to the low turnout of buses. Passengers stated they had to travel by shared auto-rickshaw and taxis which charged them extra.

Drivers of wet leased buses went on a flash strike from some of the busiest bus depots including Wadala, Kurla, Bandra and Vikhroli. There was zero turnout of wet leased buses, particularly from Wadala and Vikhroli bus depot by Friday afternoon.

“There were very few buses available and I had to travel from my home to Vikhroli station. I paid the autorickshaw driver ₹20 extra to reach the station and then to reach KEM hospital, I paid an extra ₹30 to a black and yellow taxi,” said Aarti Singh, a Vikhroli resident.

“Of the 275 buses that were scheduled to be operated from the five bus depots, only 74 buses were operated by Friday afternoon. Majorly the midi and mini buses are impacted,” said a senior BEST official.