Thousands of commuters who were out on Monday to celebrate Raksha Bandhan were thrown for a loop as the city's red BEST buses stayed off road. While the BEST strike wrapped up on Monday evening, it is evident that one of the most vital cogs in the city's road transport system desperately needs solutions to its problems. This is no longer about one strike, it is about approaching the many obstacles the fleet is facing.

Notwithstanding its current problems, Mumbai's big reds are rightly compared to London's red buses. Their ubiquitous presence on our roads is a big part of the city's identity, and they are the only cost-effective alternative to our local trains.