19 June,2026 10:04 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Pic/Nimesh Dave
Employees of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking launched an indefinite strike on Friday, disrupting bus services across Mumbai and causing major inconvenience to lakhs of commuters during the morning rush hour.
The strike, called by the BEST Sanyukt Kamgar Kruti Samiti, a joint action committee comprising 12 unions, led to widespread disruption as buses remained parked at depots and services across the city were severely affected.
With one of Mumbai's largest public transport networks impacted, commuters were forced to turn to alternative modes of transport, including autorickshaws, taxis, app-based cabs, Metro services and suburban trains.
The strike had an immediate impact on public transport, with hardly any buses leaving the 27 BEST depots across Mumbai during the morning hours.
According to reports, striking employees prevented buses from leaving several depots, resulting in the suspension of a large number of scheduled services.
The disruption created difficulties for office-goers, students and daily commuters who depend on BEST buses for last-mile connectivity and affordable transportation.
The BEST administration had not issued an official statement on the exact extent of the disruption at the time of reporting.
BEST is Mumbai's second-largest public transport provider after the suburban railway network and carries approximately 25 lakh passengers every day.
The undertaking operates a fleet of around 2,700 buses across the city and suburban areas, providing crucial connectivity to residential, commercial and industrial hubs.
Friday's strike significantly affected commuters travelling to workplaces, educational institutions and business districts, leading to longer travel times and increased demand for alternative transport options.
Several commuters reported difficulties in securing taxis and app-based cabs as demand surged across the city.
The striking workers have raised several long-pending demands related to salaries, service conditions and organisational restructuring.
Among their key demands are the merger of BEST's budget with that of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations for the 2016-2026 period and a one-time settlement of legal dues owed to retired employees.
The unions have also demanded the abolition of contractual arrangements in the transport and electricity departments and the absorption of wet-lease bus workers into the BEST workforce.
Worker representatives have argued that these issues have remained unresolved despite repeated discussions with the administration.
The agitation commenced despite legal and administrative efforts to prevent the strike.
An industrial court had passed an ad-interim order restraining employees from resorting to a strike, while the Maharashtra government invoked the Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act (MESMA), which prohibits disruption of essential public services.
Despite these measures, the unions proceeded with the strike, arguing that their demands had not been adequately addressed.
The confrontation has set the stage for a possible legal and administrative response if the strike continues.
Mumbai Police issued a warning that strict legal action would be taken against anyone attempting to obstruct public transport services, prevent employees from reporting for duty or damage BEST property.
Authorities have been monitoring the situation at bus depots and key transport hubs to ensure law and order is maintained.
Officials have also appealed to employees and union representatives to resolve the dispute through dialogue and negotiations.
Not all employee organisations have supported the agitation.
The Shramik Utkarsh Sabha and the BEST Kamgar Union, which represent sections of the workforce, distanced themselves from the strike and said discussions with the BEST administration and the Maharashtra government were continuing.
The two unions expressed hope that the issues raised by employees could be resolved through negotiations rather than prolonged disruption of public services.
Apart from operating bus services, BEST also supplies electricity to more than 10 lakh consumers in south and central Mumbai.
While the strike's immediate impact was largely visible in the transport sector, authorities are closely monitoring the situation to ensure that power supply operations remain unaffected.
As negotiations continue and the strike enters its first day, commuters across Mumbai face uncertainty over the restoration of normal bus services. The duration of the agitation and the response of the administration are expected to determine how quickly transport operations return to normal.
