BEST extends bus pass validity by three days; strike leaves over 10 lakh Mumbai commuters stranded

Commuters board a BEST bus in Goregaon on Monday. PIC/SATEJ SHINDE

With bus commuters, who were stranded for three days during the BEST strike, on Monday demanding that the validity of their passes be extended by as many days, mid-day took up the issue with Trushna Vishwasrao, the chairperson of the undertaking, who promptly gave her nod and issued directives to the administration. There are exactly 10,56,619 BEST bus passes in use.

In a letter to Assistant General Manager Transport (Operations) Ramesh Madavi, Vishwasrao wrote, "Due to the BEST employees' strike from June 19 to 21, Mumbai's commuters faced significant inconvenience on a large scale. During this period, as BEST's bus service was completely shut down, monthly bus pass holders were unable to utilise their bus pass facility properly. Mumbai citizens are regular commuters of the BEST and hold valid bus passes. Due to the strike, these commuters were unable to avail the bus pass facility for three consecutive days, and therefore the possibility of financial loss to these bus pass holders cannot be denied. Considering the above matter, all valid bus pass holders should be given a minimum extension of three days in their bus pass validity, so that commuters can make proper use of their bus passes. This will also maintain the commuters' confidence in the undertaking, and they will receive natural justice accordingly."

Core demand

Trushna Vishwasrao, chairperson of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport. Pic/By Special Arrangement

Since BEST bus services were completely suspended during the strike period, monthly bus pass holders were effectively denied three days of the service they had already paid for. This constitutes a clear financial loss for lakhs of regular commuters.

Why it matters

Monthly bus passes are a lifeline for Mumbai's working-class and middle-class population, offering affordable daily commutes across the city. When bus services go down due to internal disputes, it is the common commuter - not the administration - who bears the brunt.

Voices

Pritam Narvekar,
‘I was not able to use my prepaid pass for the duration of the strike. They should extend the validity of these passes by three days'

B Mirlekar,
‘I request an extension for the validity of the prepaid bus pass due to the strike that lasted three days. As a result of the agitation, I was unable to utilise my pass, which I consider a loss'