A section of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) workers staged a silent protest across Mumbai on Thursday, wearing black armbands, to highlight growing discontent over the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) approach to the cash-strapped public transport undertaking.
Activists affiliated with the Shiv Sena (UBT)-backed Best Kamagar Sena staged protests at depots in Mulund, Colaba, Oshiwara, Malwani, Malad, Bandra and Poinsur to highlight the need to revive the public transport system.
Their major demands include stopping the privatization of BEST services, ending the wet fare system for buses, purchasing self-owned buses, hiring new employees, canceling the remaining gratuity and the covid-19 allowance of the employees.
The union argues that these steps are critical to reviving BEST Bus from financial losses, a dwindling fleet and rising accidents. The protest came after BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagarani’s statement that the BEST report would not come under the responsibility of the civic body.
However, the president of BEST Kamdar Sena, Suhas Samant, responded by saying that since BMC is the parent body of BEST, it is responsible for its condition. “The commissioner talks about support, but the responsibility is parenting, not just support,” Samant said on Thursday.
After eight people died in a BEST bus accident on December 9, representatives of the Kamagar Sena demanded a more proactive approach from Gagarani and asked the BMC to take full control of BEST operations instead of merely offering financial assistance.
“This is a battle for survival of the fittest. The current approach is unsustainable, and systemic reform is urgently needed,” Samant added.
On the other hand, the BMC has refuted the allegations of neglecting BEST and said that it has provided financial assistance of Rs 11,232 crore in the last decade, including Rs 850 crore this year. It emphasized on continuous support with plans for concrete provisions in the upcoming budget. The civic body also highlighted the recent grant of Rs 493 crore for procurement of electric buses.
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