Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) buses have been plying employees involved essential services. However, owing to this, the BEST employees are always at the risk of contracting the virus. With nine new cases on Tuesday, the tally of positive BEST employees has reached 137 whereas the death count due to coronavirus stands at eight.
The BEST bus services have been beneficial for the workers involved in essential services as one of the most crucial means of transport, the local trains, have been shut amid the pandemic. Despite taking necessary measures, the bus drivers, conductors have been falling prey to the virus and are contracting the disease.
Earlier last week, the BEST Sanyukt Kamgaar Kruti Samiti (BSKKS), an umbrella body of BEST workers’ unions had declared that workers would observe a “lockdown” from Monday in a protest against lack of protective measures for the employees. The demands raised by the unions consisted of a separate hospital for BEST workers who test positive, a separate quarantine facility, and ₹1 crore as compensation and job for the next of kin of deceased employees.
However, BEST General Manager Surendrakumar Bagde wrote to the employees appealing them to call off the protest. He assured them that the corporation will provide job to next of the kin of the deceased as well as an Rs. 10 lakh insurance for its employees. He also asked if protesting in such a time was viable for them. After his letter, the employees called off the protests.
Meanwhile, 64 employees had recovered from coronavirus by Tuesday and were discharged accordingly. Alongside, some of the employees recovered from the pandemic despite having co-morbidities.
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