Mumbai commuters received some relief on Monday morning, June 22, as BEST bus services began resuming in phases following the withdrawal of the employees' strike. After discussions between Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, and representatives of the employees' union, operations started to return to normal on June 22.
BEST buses were once again seen on Mumbai roads, offering much-needed transportation support amid the ongoing monsoon rains. However, officials indicated that services on all routes have not yet been fully restored, and some routes remained non-operational during the morning hours.
The strike, which began on Friday, had severely disrupted Mumbai's public transport system, causing inconvenience to thousands of daily commuters.
A crucial meeting between the Maharashtra government and the striking employees' union was held at Sahyadri Guest House on Sunday night. Following positive discussions and the acceptance of several key demands raised by employees, the union announced the withdrawal of the strike.
As part of the agreement, the government approved a monthly salary increase of ₹3,000 for permanent employees and ₹2,000 for contractual workers.
The government also agreed to clear the pending gratuity payments from the budget allocated for the current financial year.
In addition, assurances were given regarding improvements to employee welfare facilities, including canteens, toilets, and other basic amenities.
With the strike called off, authorities are working to restore full bus services across Mumbai as quickly as possible.