Mumbai Commuters Face Disruptions as BEST Wet Lease Drivers Strike Over Delayed Salaries
Flash strikes by contractual bus drivers disrupt services for the third time in a week, highlighting systemic issues in Mumbai's public transport system.
- Drivers employed by wet lease operators for BEST staged a flash strike, citing delayed salary payments as the primary grievance.
- The strike on Friday morning left over 95 buses off the roads during peak hours, with 12 routes significantly affected despite efforts to deploy alternative drivers.
- This is the third such strike in a week, with earlier disruptions reported at Dharavi, Pratiksha Nagar, and other depots due to similar grievances.
- BEST's reliance on private contractors like Olectra and subcontractors such as Morya Trans Facility has been criticized for creating operational instability and financial delays.
- Negotiations are ongoing to address drivers' demands for timely salary payments, holiday benefits, and wages for extra hours worked.
Free Press Journal 
Hindustan Times 
