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By:

Minal Sancheti

2 May 2026 at 12:26:53 pm

BEST strike paralyses Mumbai

Mumbai: For Sai More, an LIC agent, the Friday commute from his home in Century Bazar, Worli to work place in Churchgate, proved as an expensive affair. On a normal day, he spends Rs 12 on a BEST bus fare till Dadar station and then takes the local train to Churchgate. However, he had to shell out more money than his usual spending on the travel. Thanks to the strike by BEST Samyukt Kamgar Kruti Samiti, a joint action committee comprising 12 unions, pressing for its demands of better wages...

BEST strike paralyses Mumbai

Mumbai: For Sai More, an LIC agent, the Friday commute from his home in Century Bazar, Worli to work place in Churchgate, proved as an expensive affair. On a normal day, he spends Rs 12 on a BEST bus fare till Dadar station and then takes the local train to Churchgate. However, he had to shell out more money than his usual spending on the travel. Thanks to the strike by BEST Samyukt Kamgar Kruti Samiti, a joint action committee comprising 12 unions, pressing for its demands of better wages and working conditions. The strike paralysed the city’s second life line – the BEST bus. Only 32 of 2,766 buses were operated in the city in a rare collapse of the transport system. The strike forced the government to hold a meeting with the officials and workers later in the day to discuss their demands. More, the sole bread winner in this family, earns Rs 25,000 a month. When he learned about the BEST strike the first went to Aqua Line metro. He boarded the crowded metro from Worli and got down at Dadar. Then he took a local train to Churchgate and hired a share taxi to his office at Nariman Point. “I travel from Dadar to Nariman Point every day using bus and train. But today we faced difficulty because there were no buses. My colleagues and I went together to our office by cab.” The Samiti has been pressing for three demands. Rangnath Satavase, a representative of the Samiti, said, “We don’t want an independent budget for the BEST. You should include it with the BMC’s budget. The employees are facing issues due to salary arrears since 2016. We demand proper wages from 2016 to 2026 and apply seventh Pay Commission recommendations to the BEST workers. The wet lease workers should be included in the BEST as its workers and they should get minimum wages.” The BEST bus operators face many issues because there are fewer BEST buses that are working every day. This makes their work difficult. They complain that their salary has not increased since a long time. Vaishali Chavan, a bus conductor, said, “My salary is Rs 18,000 and I don’t get holidays. Now since they have reduced the number of buses, it is difficult to manage the huge number of passenger crowds. This makes our job tough. So, we demand higher wages and better work conditions.” The operators also claim that they don’t get any holidays except one weekly off. They have to work even during festivals, and if they don’t, their salary gets deducted. Imran Sheikh, a bus driver, said, “We don’t get equal wages. The salary ranges from Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 per month without any holidays. We just get one weekly holiday, but other than that we have to work even on the Labourer’s Day, Gandhi Jayanti, Diwali and Ramzan. If we take leave because of some emergency work, they cut our salaries.” He has been working for two years. “Some of my colleagues have been working for more than five years. Even their salaries have been the same. They promise they will increase, but they never do, and there is no bonus given.” Trushna Vishwasrao, chairperson of the BEST Committee, criticised the workers and said they should not have gone on strike when the BEST is already going through a loss. She said, “We agree with their demands, and we will fulfill it, so there is no need for a strike. It takes time to implement all the demands. We have got a gratuity of Rs five crores that we will be using to compensate the salary, and more funds will be coming, which we will use to fulfill their demands.” She said BEST is running at a deficit in any way. Their strike has also troubled the common public who depend on the BEST buses to travel. Commuters Stranded The strike left commuters stranded during the morning rush hour, with long queues seen at bus stops across the city. They later scrambled for already packed local trains, Metro services, autos, and cabs to reach their workplace. A spokesperson of the civic undertaking said only 48 buses were on Mumbai's roads during the day while some others were forced to return to depots after incidents of stone-pelting and obstruction by striking employees. BEST is Mumbai's second-largest public transport provider after the suburban railway network and carries around 25 lakh passengers daily through its bus services. It also supplies electricity to more than 10 lakh consumers in south and central Mumbai. However, union leaders claimed the strike was 100 per cent successful on the first day. Both transport and power divisions of the BEST took part in the strike. However, power supply to BEST customers in the island city remained unaffected by the agitation. Many passengers were forced to rely on alternative modes of transport, such as suburban trains, Metro services, autorickshaws, taxis, and app-based cabs, while others reported delays in reaching their workplaces and educational institutions. "During weekdays, I travel to work by public transport, but today I took my bike out as there were no buses on the roads," said Sachin Nalawade, who works as a consultant. The strike commenced despite an ad-interim order passed by an industrial court restraining employees from resorting to a strike and the Maharashtra government's invocation of the Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act (MESMA), which prohibits the disruption of essential services. “Shared autorickshaws usually charge Rs 30 from Bharat Nagar to Bandra or Kurla, but today drivers were charging as they pleased. Some were demanding Rs 40 to Rs 50,” an employee of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) said. "The issue is not merely that of workers. It is the outcome of the BJP-led Mahayuti government's negligence and wrong policies. It was known to the administration that employees were planning to go on strike. Was the government asleep until lakhs of Mumbaikars were held to ransom? Who will take responsibility for allowing the situation to deteriorate to the point where BEST services came to a halt?" Varsha Gaikwad, President, Mumbai Congress

Missing Link Set to Redefine Mumbai 3.0

Mumbai: The long-awaited Missing Link project on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway is emerging as a pivotal infrastructure intervention that could significantly reshape the real estate dynamics of the extended Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). By bypassing the challenging ghat section and reducing travel time between Mumbai and Pune by an estimated 20–25 minutes, the project is expected to unlock new development corridors and accelerate the evolution of what industry stakeholders are calling “Mumbai 3.0.”


This emerging geography, comprising peripheral growth zones beyond established nodes such as Navi Mumbai and Panvel, is increasingly drawing attention from both developers and homebuyers. Locations like Karjat, Neral, Khopoli and Lonavala are witnessing renewed interest, driven by improved connectivity, relatively affordable land parcels and a growing preference for low-density, lifestyle-oriented living.


By easing congestion on one of the country’s busiest expressways and improving accessibility to hinterland locations, the project is creating conditions conducive to new micro-market formation. Analysts note that such infrastructure-led expansion is critical at a time when Mumbai’s core real estate markets are approaching saturation.


In particular, Karjat and surrounding areas are seeing increased traction in plotted developments, villa communities and wellness-focused second homes. These formats cater to evolving buyer preferences shaped by hybrid work models and a heightened focus on quality of life. Improved last-mile connectivity and civic infrastructure are further strengthening the case for these locations as both weekend retreats and long-term residential options.


Unnati Varma, Director, ORA Land (ORA Group), said, “The Missing Link project is a landmark development that will redefine accessibility to emerging destinations like Karjat and surroundings. As travel time reduces and connectivity improves, we anticipate a significant uptick in demand for plotted developments and lifestyle-driven housing. Today’s homebuyers are seeking a balance between connectivity and quality of life, and locations like Karjat offer exactly that. This infrastructure boost will further position these regions as viable extensions of Mumbai’s residential landscape.”


The broader narrative of Mumbai 3.0 is also being shaped by other large-scale infrastructure initiatives, including the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link and the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport. Together with the Missing Link, these projects are expected to redistribute real estate demand more evenly across the metropolitan region, reducing pressure on traditional urban centres while fostering the rise of new growth clusters.


From an industry standpoint, the project’s impact extends beyond residential demand. Kamlesh Thakur, President, NAREDCO Maharashtra, said, “The Missing Link is a transformational infrastructure milestone that will redefine connectivity between Mumbai and Pune while opening new high-potential growth corridors across the region. By significantly reducing travel time and improving mobility, this project is expected to accelerate demand for emerging destinations within the Mumbai 3.0 growth belt.”


Market observers believe that relatively lower entry prices, coupled with rising lifestyle aspirations, will continue to drive demand in these emerging corridors. As infrastructure projects near completion, the Missing Link stands out as a critical catalyst—not just bridging distances, but enabling a more distributed, sustainable model of urban expansion for the MMR.


Missing Link opens with phased traffic rules

The Missing Link project on the Yashwantrao Chavan Mumbai-Pune Expressway, a landmark infrastructure initiative by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), significantly cuts travel time between Mumbai and Pune, eases congestion on the existing route and boosts regional connectivity for millions of daily commuters and the economy. Maharashtra's Additional Director General of Police (Traffic), Praveen Salunke, has issued a notification regulating traffic on this crucial 13-km stretch, set to open for public use from May 1, 2026. The rules prioritize tunnel safety after stakeholder consultations, ensuring a secure rollout for this game-changing highway upgrade.


Phased Rollout

In Phase I, from May 1 to October 31, 2026, only Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) and passenger buses will be permitted, while goods-carrying vehicles remain prohibited. Phase II, starting November 1, 2026, will continue allowing LMVs and passenger buses, with a review after six months to assess permitting goods vehicles. The notification invokes Section 112 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and related government orders for enforcement.


Safety Measures

Vehicles carrying hazardous materials (Hazmat), inflammables or explosives are permanently banned from the Missing Link tunnels and must use the existing expressway, per Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) guidelines. Speed limits are capped at 100 kmph for cars (LMVs) and 80 kmph for passenger buses, with a tolerance for minor exceedances under Section 183. Authorities including MSRDC and police have been directed to install signage and publicize the rules via newspapers, TV and social media.


As the missing link opens to traffic, authorities are hopeful that it will not only enhance commuter experience but also boost economic activity between Mumbai and Pune. With improved travel efficiency and unchanged toll rates, the project is poised to deliver both convenience and value to the public. The coming weeks will reveal the full impact of this long-anticipated upgrade, but for now, commuters can look forward to a faster and safer journey, without paying extra for it.

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