BEST Poisar depot bus services were disrupted after around 110 drivers and conductors stopped work over alleged two-month salary delays. The strike affected 19 of 29 scheduled buses before Ganeshotsav. The dispute has raised concerns over payment delays in BEST’s wet-lease model involving private operators and sub-contractors.

BEST Poisar Depot Strike Disrupts Mumbai Bus Services Ahead Of Ganeshotsav As 110 Workers Protest Unpaid Salaries | AI

Mumbai: Two days before Ganesh Chaturthi, a salary dispute at BEST’s Poisar depot spilled onto the city’s roads on Friday, with around 110 drivers and conductors stopping work after they allegedly went without salaries for two months. The strike severely affected morning bus services, forcing BEST to operate only 10 of the 29 buses scheduled from the depot and bring in buses and staff from other depots to manage the shortfall.

Festival Rush Raises Concerns Over Bus Availability

The employees, working for PMI, the wet-lease operator responsible for the depot, said their salaries had not been credited despite the salary cycle already entering its second month. BEST officials said the undertaking had already made the prescribed per-kilometre payment to the operator. The disruption meant commuters faced fewer buses at a time when passenger demand is expected to rise sharply ahead of the festival.

A BEST official said the operator had informed the administration that there were issues with the bank account numbers of some drivers, preventing salary transfers. “This was resolved by early evening,” the official said. The company subsequently began the process of transferring salaries. A representative of the operator attributed the delay to a technical issue in its system, while also claiming that information provided by employees about the salary issue was incorrect.

`;

Payment Chain In Wet-Lease Model Under Scanner

The dispute, however, has raised questions over the payment chain in BEST’s wet-lease model. Sources said PMI has engaged TSSL as a sub-contractor to operate the depot. BEST committee members questioned why employees were left without wages even after BEST had made its payment to the main operator.

“Since PMI started operating the Poisar depot, this is the second time in the last two months that such a situation has arisen over salary payments. Employees are repeatedly being made to struggle for their wages, and this is directly affecting bus services,” said BEST committee member Ajay Singh.

Dr Nitin Nandgaonkar, also a BEST committee member, questioned the accountability of the payment chain. “Despite the main operator receiving payment from BEST, why is the money not reaching the sub-contractor on time? The employees, commuters and BEST bus services are all bearing the consequences of this breakdown in the payment chain,” he said.

“Salary payment is a basic responsibility, and employees should not have to stop work to receive what is due to them. BEST has paid the operator, so the contractor must ensure wages reach drivers and conductors on time. Such lapses ultimately hurt commuters and BEST’s services,” said Ramakant Gupta, BEST committee member.

With the festival rush imminent, the episode has once again put the spotlight on the dependence of BEST services on private wet-lease operatorsand on whether contractual arrangements are adequately protecting both workers’ wages and commuters from operational disruptions.

To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/

Add As a

Trusted Source