Union members are also demanding that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) allocate funds to replace aging buses with new ones. |
Mumbai: The BEST Workers Union, led by General Secretary Shashank Rao, has announced a mass protest march, “Chalo Mantralaya,” on January 15, 2025, to press for their demands concerning the future of the city’s public transport system.
However, on Monday, while addressing the winter session of the assembly in Nagpur, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that the modernization plan of BEST is underway, and 1,300 new electric buses (e-buses) will soon be added to the public transport network.
The union is raising concerns about the deteriorating state of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking, while calling for the abolition of the controversial wet lease system and better support for modernization efforts.
“The union has made several critical demands, including the permanent scrapping of the wet lease system, under which buses are leased from private contractors. “BEST must permanently discontinue the practice of leasing buses through private contractors,” said a BEST workers, speaking anonymously.
Workers also wants that BEST administration must honor the agreement signed on June 11, 2019 between workers union and administration, which mandated maintaining a fleet of 3,337 BEST-owned buses.
Additionally, the union is urging the BEST administration to honor the agreement signed on June 11, 2019, which mandated maintaining a fleet of 3,337 buses owned by BEST.
Union members are also demanding that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) allocate funds to replace aging buses with new ones.
“BEST must operate and own all buses exclusively to ensure affordable public transport for Mumbai citizens,” said another BEST worker.
Union leaders argue that the wet lease system undermines the quality of public transport and safety of the passengers. They fear that continued reliance on private contractors may erode BEST’s role as a reliable public transport provider in future.
BEST currently operates a fleet of approximately 2,900 buses, with nearly two-thirds leased from private contractors under the wet lease system, catering to 35 lakh commuters daily.
According to an union leader, the Chief Minister’s announcement lacks clarity on the ownership status of the 1,300 buses – specifically, whether they will be owned by BEST or operated on a wet lease.
