Mumbai: Despite BEST unions calling off their three-day strike late Sunday night, commuters across Mumbai continued to face significant hardship on Monday morning, with several left stranded amid a shortage of buses. Long queues were reported outside key railway stations such as Andheri, where hundreds waited for delayed or overcrowded buses as services struggled to normalise.Attendance has been poor at some depots like Deonar, resulting in a continued shortage of buses, said sources.A BEST official said only around 67% (1,863) of the scheduled fleet of 2,766 buses was operational across the city during the morning peak and 42% drivers (1,279 out of 3,029 drivers) had reported for duties. The situation was compounded by the limited presence of wet lease buses, a significant number of which were not deployed on roads.Commuters bore the brunt of the disruption, with many forced to rely on overcrowded trains, auto-rickshaws and taxis, while others waited for extended periods at bus stops. The partial restoration of services led to sporadic operations on several routes, further aggravating delays and crowding.Union leaders attributed the slow resumption to workforce fatigue following the agitation. “Many drivers participated in the three-day strike and are expected to resume duties gradually by Tuesday morning,” said BEST Karmachari union general secretary Uday Ambonkar, indicating that services would stabilise over the next 24 hours.However, labour representatives pointed to unresolved issues as a key factor affecting turnout. An activist from the BEST Workers Union, which did not participate in the strike, said several demands—particularly those concerning wet lease drivers—remain unaddressed. “The demand for equal pay for equal work has only been assured for study, with no concrete decision,” said the activist.Ambonkar described the situation as typical in the immediate aftermath of a strike. “It is normal for 60–70% of services to resume immediately. This happens after every strike,” he said.With services yet to fully stabilise, commuters continue to face uncertainty, even as authorities expect a gradual return to normalcy in the coming days.
