Mumbai, June 19: Bus services across Mumbai were disrupted on Thursday after employees of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking launched an indefinite strike, affecting a large number of daily commuters.

The agitation was called by the BEST Sanyukt Kamgar Kruti Samiti, which has been demanding the merger of the BEST budget with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) budget, implementation of wage revisions, payment of pending dues, and regularisation of contractual employees. The workers have also expressed concerns over the increasing use of contractual and wet-lease bus services.

The strike disrupted services in several parts of the city, including Bandra-Kurla Complex, Kurla, Bandra, South Mumbai, and the central and eastern suburbs. Many commuters experienced delays and were forced to seek alternative modes of transport.

Transport services such as Mumbai’s suburban railway network and metro system reportedly witnessed increased passenger traffic as commuters looked for alternate travel options. Ride-hailing services also saw higher demand during peak hours.

The Maharashtra government has appealed for a resolution to the dispute and urged employees to help maintain essential public services. Commuters have been advised to plan their journeys accordingly and use alternative transport options until normal bus operations resume.

Discussions between worker representatives and authorities are expected in the coming days as efforts continue to resolve the dispute.