BEST strike in Mumbai sparks policy shift, activists ask why only now?

Mumbai: City activist Nikhil Desai has questioned the timing of key decisions on Mumbai’s public transport, asking why the government acted only after a three-day BEST strike instead of addressing long-pending issues proactively.

Referring to assurances made by deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, Desai noted that the commitment to make 5,000 electric buses BEST-owned over the next three years marks a major policy shift.At present, BEST’s owned fleet has shrunk to just 249 buses, while over 2,500 vehicles are on wet lease, highlighting what Desai described as years of neglect. “These are decisions the government could and should have taken earlier. Why did workers need to resort to a strike to secure them?” he asked.Desai also flagged unresolved concerns such as delayed payment of gratuity and legal dues to retired employees, and poor conditions at bus depots. “It is uncalled for that retired staff must struggle for their dues or workers must agitate for basic amenities like canteen facilities,” he said, terming BEST’s condition a result of prolonged mismanagement.Calling for a policy reset, another passenger rights activist stressed that affordable public transport must be prioritised.

“Instead of spending heavily on projects like coastal roads and tunnels, the BMC should focus on strengthening bus services. Investing in at least 10,000 buses will help reduce traffic congestion by providing a reliable, low-cost alternative,” he said.Transport analyst Vivek Pai echoed similar concerns, saying BEST has been one of the most neglected civic undertakings. He advocated allocating a fixed share of the BMC budget to BEST and ending contractual hiring of drivers and conductors.Passenger rights activist GR Vora backed the workers, saying citizens support their demands. “The government has ignored these issues for too long. It must now act to improve both worker conditions and commuter services,” he said. Another activist said not all demands raised by the 12 unions on strike were accepted and it was yet to be seen whether the govt will really facilitate purchase of 5,000 buses for the BEST undertaking in near future.