BEST Strike Paralyzes Mumbai for Second Day as Staff Attendance Collapses
Mumbai’s public transport system continued to face severe disruption on the second consecutive day of the indefinite strike by BEST employees, with bus operations almost grinding to a halt due to extremely low staff attendance across all key categories.
Official figures showed an unprecedented breakdown in workforce participation. Out of 246 scheduled turnout staff, none reported for duty, effectively halting basic operational readiness. Driver attendance was equally poor, with only 26 drivers present out of 1,937 scheduled workers. Conductors also remained largely absent, with just 9 reporting for duty against a strength of 2,646.
At bus depots and stations, only 38 employees turned up from 228 scheduled staff, while bus inspectors recorded 119 attendees out of 221. In the wet-lease segment, which forms a major part of BEST’s current operations, the situation was even more critical. Only 4 drivers reported for duty out of 2,521, while just 8 conductors attended out of 3,063. Not a single wet-lease inspector, out of 1,137, was present.
The near-total collapse in staffing has left Mumbai’s BEST bus network severely crippled, forcing commuters to rely heavily on suburban trains, metro services, taxis and autorickshaws. With BEST normally serving around 25 lakh passengers daily, only a limited number of buses were seen operating across the city.
The strike has been led by BEST employees and union groups opposing the wet-lease and contract-based employment model. Workers are demanding permanent jobs within BEST and an end to outsourced operations, arguing that the current system has created job insecurity and poor working conditions.
Employees have also raised concerns over long working hours, low wages and alleged safety issues linked to contract-based operations. They have said they are ready to resume services if their demands are addressed by authorities.
The protest continues despite the Maharashtra government invoking MESMA and an industrial court order restraining the strike. However, no breakthrough has been reached so far between the administration and the striking employees.
