In what is considered to be a controversial move, Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) has decided to hire conductors for its fleet of buses from a “manpower service provider” on a contract basis.
It is said that around 400 conductors will be hired through this method given the severe shortage of staff which has plagued BEST for a while now. The agency had 10,000 conductors available not too long ago, but the number has now dipped to 8,000 and is said to be shrinking rapidly. Keeping this in mind, a move like this does make a lot of sense.
Commenting on this decision, a BEST official said, “It is needed as we have 3,300 buses but there is a shortage of conductors. As there is a freeze on recruitment, we are hiring the manpower service-provider to ensure our buses do not lie idle at depots and every bus has a conductor.”
“Drivers and contractors will be from outside agencies, although the conductors will report to BEST management,” one of the panel members added.
However, Shrikant Kanthankar of the BJP said, “BEST committee has been kept in the dark about the tender to hire conductors on contract. This is unwarranted. We cannot have back-door entry of staff on a contract basis. They should be hired properly, as in the past.”
The functioning at BEST has been nothing short of tumultuous over the past few months. Its employees staged a protest yesterday against privatisation amid the announcement of contracted conductors.
Leader of BEST Workers' Union, Shashank Rao strongly opposed the move. “If a single conductor is hired through this process, we will agitate on the streets,” he said. There is also a likelihood of the union calling for a strike in Mumbai, which could further impact the livelihood of Mumbaikars.
The Best buses has recently reduced the fare and it one now has to pay only rs 5 for non-AC buses and Rs 6 for the AC bus. This move has helped in increasing the ridership of the buses.
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