HIGHLIGHTS: Mumbai BEST strike called off after meeting with Uddhav Thackeray

Live updates on BEST strike in Mumbai

As many as 30 lakh passengers in Mumbai are hit as BEST started its indefinite strike on Monday.

Commuters are hassled as BEST unions remain firm on their demand. (HT)

Their demands: timely payment of salaries, scrapping the software on work hours, ban on hiring of private buses, among others.

Live updates on how Mumbai is coping with it:

4.28pm: Services likely to resume by evening.

4.24pm: Strike called off

3.15pm: Union leaders reach Matoshree

2.42pm: Taxi drivers charging commuters Rs100 for CSMT to Colaba.

2.11pm: ST buses being operated between CSMT and Mantralaya

1.52pm: In Mulund, BEST workers hold banner with excerpts from HT’s #BESTBachao campaign

1.45pm: State transport starts bus service from Kurla to Bandra.

1.35pm: State transport running 25 extra buses on CST-Nariman Point, Dadar-Mantralaya, Thane-Dadar, Panvel-Dadar, Kurla-BKC and other routes

1.25pm: Commuter Aarti Kamble waiting for auto near Jhunjhunwala college for 1 hour

1.20pm: All outstationed bus drivers and conductors have been asked to stop at local bus stops on passengers’ request: MSRTC spokesperson

1.17pm: MSRTC has got 73 extra buses for the MMR. Of those 23 will be run from Thane and 25 from Raigad districts.

1.14pm: Uber, Ola make a killing, charge Rs100 to Rs300 more than the usual rates

1.11pm: Long queues outside Kurla station as autorickshaw drivers refuse to ply

1.07pm: “Our strike is going on peacefully and it is 100% successful as of now. Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has called us for a meeting at Matoshree at 3pm,” says Shashank Rao, leader of BEST Workers’ Union.

12.57pm: The general manager of BEST currently in Mantralaya to discuss the strike

12.55pm: A private bus service has started from CST to Colaba

12.54 pm: Not a single bus came on road since midnight. Our strike is 100% successful: Suhas Samant, leader BEST Kamgar Saghatana, affiliated to Shiv Sena.

Read: Plan your commute well, auto drivers are taking advantage of BEST strike to fleece Mumbaiites