BEST workers "suspend" services protesting circular

March 26: A section of drivers and conductors of the Brihunmumbai Electric Supply and Transport undertaking struck work on Thursday morning to protest the suspension of drivers involved in two separate accidents on consecutive days.

Two drivers, Ramdas Bhagwat Kate and Maruti Dondu Patil, had been suspended for running over a motorcyclist and a cyclist on March 23 and 24 respectively. The management issued a circular stating that in case of a fatal accident involving a BEST bus, the driver would be placed under suspension pending inquiry.

The BEST Workers Union said the circular was unfair as drivers were being treated as guilty even as the inquiry was in progress. Said a spokesperson, services were affected in depots at Vikhroli, Malvani, Gorai, Govandi and Deonar. “We ran up to 74 per cent of our services which were normalised by around 2 pm,” he added. After meetings between the management and workers, a settlement was thrashed out. Although its terms were not available, the spokesperson said thesuspensions have not been revoked.