Visit to Bandra West bus depot near the railway station sheds light on life-threatening conditions workers deal with everyday
BEST committee member Nitin Nandgaonkar pulls out a strand of loose concrete from a wall
A visit by BEST committee member Nitin Nandgaonkar to the bus depot near the western side of Bandra railway station has shed light on shocking working conditions. The very roof under which staff members operate is held in place by a wire mesh net so that loose chunks of concrete do not fall. Concrete portions of the wall are in a bad state, and BEST staffers posted there said they work in such dangerous office conditions for six to seven hours every day.
The wire mesh that prevents the roof from collapsing
“This is beyond shocking. I term it cruelty. About 300 people are working at this depot. These people run Mumbai's second lifeline, and these are their working conditions. Even the basic maintenance is not being done. I cannot stand this,” Nandgaonkar said.
The ceiling of the doctor’s cabin
Staffers said that the wire mesh had been installed five to six months ago, after repeated complaints, when the problem became more acute. “The condition of the restroom and the racks kept here are just another example. This is how the BEST administration is treating its own staffers like animals. This looks like some bigger conspiracy. Who will be responsible if anything happens to any staffer? If the issues are not addressed, we will launch a protest to fix this,” he said. Last week, Nandgaonkar visited Mulund and Vikhroli bus depots.
Official Speak
A dilapidated wall above the window in Bandra West depot
While no one was willing to speak on record, Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) officials said there were complaints about concrete falling near the staircase of the depot, after which the entire depot was covered with a net as a temporary measure. As a permanent measure, BEST plans to develop several dilapidated and underutilised bus depots with enhanced staff amenities.
Voices of concern
The main concourse of the BEST bus depot in Bandra West
A bus driver: ‘We come here every day, not knowing if something will fall from the ceiling. The mesh holding the concrete is the only thing keeping us safe. It’s scary, but we have no choice — we still have to work our shifts. These are just temporary measures. Nobody has taken proper action despite repeated complaints to the undertaking’
A union member and staffer: ‘During the monsoon, it gets even worse with water seeping through cracks. We serve the public every day, but our own safety seems to be ignored. It feels like we’ve been forgotten’
The crumbling depot lobby. Pics/Rajendra B Aklekar
A BEST employee: ‘This is actually stressful. We’ve reported this multiple times, but repairs never happen. The walls are crumbling, and the ceiling looks like it could collapse anytime. We are expected to keep operations running smoothly in such conditions. It’s mentally stressful to work like this every day’
A bus conductor: ‘Sometimes small pieces of concrete actually fall, but now it is normal for us. We are inside the staff rooms to eat tiffin and rest between shifts. We just hope someone takes responsibility before it’s too late’
Problems highlighted
Crumbling concrete wall
Roof slabs caught in the wire mesh net
Staff room racks and overall condition are pitiable
Doctor’s cabin inside the depot is also dilapidated
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