BEST bus strike: School bus operators offer fleet to ease Mumbai's commuter crisis

School bus operators offer support as BEST strike disrupts Mumbai (Pic/Nimesh Dave)

As the ongoing BEST bus strike across Mumbai continues to disrupt public transport, the School Bus Owners' Association has offered to deploy its fleet to help reduce the burden on stranded commuters.

Speaking to Mid-Day, association president Anil Garg said that school bus operators are prepared to supplement public transport services during peak hours if the Maharashtra government formally seeks their assistance.

Garg said, "If the government wants, we are ready to provide school buses during peak hours. We can help ease the impact of the BEST strike."

The offer comes as thousands of commuters grapple with suspended bus services across the city that ultimately made the suburban trains overcrowded and long queues at bus stops.

Major railway stations and transport hubs during the morning rush hour on Friday witnessed heavy footfall as passengers scrambled for alternative modes of travel.

Only 38 BEST buses leave the depots

The offer comes as BEST services remain severely affected by the strike. According to official figures, only 38 buses were able to leave depots on Friday, but six had to return after incidents of stone-pelting and other disruptions, leaving just 32 buses operating across the city. Under normal circumstances, the BEST undertaking runs around 2,776 buses daily, highlighting the scale of the disruption.

Maharashtra government invokes MESMA

The Maharashtra government, amid the BEST bus strike on Friday, had already invoked the Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act (MESMA) in an effort to restore normalcy and prevent further disruption to essential public transport services.

However, authorities have not yet approached school bus operators or other private transport providers for additional support.

School bus operators believe their vehicles could serve as a temporary solution, particularly during morning and evening rush hours, when commuter demand is at its peak. With many school buses remaining available outside student transport timings, the association says the fleet could be mobilised quickly if required.