BEST Wet Lease Bus Strike Disrupts Mumbai Services Amid Alleged Mistreatment of Pregnant Conductor
A flash strike by contractual employees at a private bus operator hired by the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking brought partial disruption to the city’s bus services on Monday, 13th January 2025. The strike, primarily affecting services from the Pratiksha Nagar depot, stemmed from an alleged incident of mistreatment involving a pregnant woman conductor. Over 100 buses were reported to be off the road, though the impact was contained within a single depot, leaving other BEST operations largely unaffected.
BEST, which manages a fleet of nearly 3,000 buses and caters to over 30 lakh passengers daily, has faced significant challenges recently. Notably, it has been without a permanent General Manager for over a week, with an additional commissioner from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) currently handling the position. This leadership gap has come at a time when the corporation is dealing with the fallout of this unexpected industrial action. The strike involved employees from Mateshwari, a private operator responsible for the wet lease of buses at the Pratiksha Nagar depot. Wet leasing refers to a model where private operators maintain buses, including driver salaries and vehicle upkeep, while the public transport authority manages scheduling and routes. The disagreement appears to have been triggered by a complaint of mistreatment against the private operator’s management, particularly involving a pregnant conductor. While BEST officials refrained from disclosing the details of the grievance, union leader Suhas Samant suggested that the strike was a direct response to this mistreatment.
The impact was immediately felt on several routes. According to Samant, all 110 buses operated by Mateshwari from the Pratiksha Nagar depot were halted. The strike left many commuters stranded, with passengers experiencing delays and disruptions. BEST’s official spokesperson, Sudas Sawant, confirmed that the strike was confined to Pratiksha Nagar, and operations at other depots continued without disruption. This strike highlights the broader issue of labour relations in the public transport sector, where private operators and their employees often clash over working conditions, pay disputes, and treatment. The incident also raises questions about the safety and welfare of female workers in the transport industry, with the mistreatment allegations underlining the vulnerability of pregnant women in the workforce.
On the administrative front, the ongoing leadership vacuum at BEST adds another layer of complexity to resolving the issue. The absence of a General Manager has left a leadership void, making it difficult to address disputes effectively. This situation underscores the challenges faced by Mumbai’s public transport system in terms of both leadership and employee welfare. While the strike has been partially resolved with limited disruptions, the situation has brought to light critical issues within the transport network. Commuters, many of whom rely on BEST buses for their daily journeys, have expressed frustration over the inconvenience caused. With tensions simmering in the workforce, both the BEST management and the private operators must find a way to address these grievances in order to restore stability and maintain the trust of the public. While Mumbai’s public transport system continues to function amid challenges, incidents like this flash strike expose the underlying tensions within the sector. It is clear that efforts must be made to improve the working conditions for staff, particularly women, and to ensure that leadership gaps do not disrupt critical services that millions of people rely on every day.
