Mumbai, June 22: In a move aimed at providing relief to commuters affected by the recent BEST employees’ strike, BEST Chairperson Trushna Vishwasrao has requested that the validity of all monthly bus passes be extended by at least three days.
The demand comes after BEST bus services remained completely suspended across Mumbai from June 19 to June 21 due to the strike, leaving lakhs of daily commuters without public transport.
According to BEST data, as many as 10,56,619 monthly bus pass holders were affected during the three-day disruption and were unable to use the services covered under their valid passes.
Relief Sought For Pass Holders
Vishwasrao said that commuters who had already paid for monthly passes lost three days of travel benefits because of circumstances beyond their control. She has urged the administration to extend the validity of all active monthly passes by three days so that passengers receive the full value of the service they paid for.
The chairperson noted that the strike caused significant inconvenience to office-goers, students and other regular passengers who depend on BEST buses for daily travel. Extending pass validity, she said, would be a fair and practical step to compensate commuters for the disruption.
Decision Awaited From BEST
The issue has gained importance as monthly bus passes are widely used by Mumbai residents for affordable daily travel. Granting an extension would not only provide financial relief to affected passengers but also help maintain public confidence in the city's public transport system.
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BEST services resumed after the strike was called off on Sunday evening following discussions between the government and employee representatives. However, commuters are now awaiting a decision on whether the undertaking will compensate pass holders for the three days of lost service.
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