BEST Strike Begins, Disrupts Bus Services Across Mumbai

Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) was hit by an indefinite strike by its employees on Friday, resulting in a widespread disruption to bus services across Mumbai and leaving commuters struggling to find alternatives. According to officials, only 32 buses were running on city roads yesterday morning, a sharp drop from the usual deployment of thousands. Although six buses had initially left depots early in the day, they were forced to turn back following incidents of stone-pelting.

The strike is expected to affect routes connecting residential areas, railway stations and key business districts. Areas likely to see significant disruption include Bandra-Kurla Complex, Kurla, Bandra, parts of South Mumbai, and the central and eastern suburbs. 

Services that provide last-mile connectivity are also likely to be impacted, adding to commuter difficulties.

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The disruption is likely to affect lakhs of daily passengers who rely on BEST buses to access metro corridors and suburban railway networks. In the absence of regular services, many commuters are likely to depend on auto rickshaws, taxis and app-based mobility options.

The timing of the strike coincides with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority’s (MMRDA) weekly Public Transport Day initiative at Bandra-Kurla Complex. Under normal operations, BEST runs 976 trips through 125 buses on 16 routes serving the business district each day, with additional services deployed during the initiative. The strike is likely to affect these arrangements.

BEST is the city’s second-largest public transport provider after the suburban railway network, carrying around 25 lakh passengers daily. In addition to bus services, it also supplies electricity to over 10 lakh consumers in south and central Mumbai.

Meanwhile, the Shramik Utkarsh Sabha and the BEST Kamgar Union have distanced themselves from the strike, stating that discussions with the administration and the state government are ongoing to address workers’ concerns.