Commuters in Mumbai faced a crisis on Friday morning as only 32 out of 2,766 buses operated by the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) were seen on roads.
The indefinite strike by BEST employees forced buses off the roads, leaving many commuters stranded.
According to PTI, 38 buses were able to leave various depots across Mumbai, but six of them were forced to return after incidents of stone-pelting and obstruction by striking employees.
Commuters had to opt for local trains, metro services, autorickshaws, taxis, and app-based cabs due to the lack of buses.
The strike was called by the BEST Sanyukt Kamgar Kruti Samiti, a joint action committee comprising 12 unions, with a list of demands including the merger of BEST's budget with the BMC, a one-time settlement of legal dues of retired employees, and the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations.
Former Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale has written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking intervention, pointing out that the strike could impact the travel of thousands of medical aspirants appearing for the NEET re-exam on June 21.
