Mumbai: Relief for commuters as longest-ever BEST bus strike ends

The nine-day-long BEST bus strike was called off Wednesday, bringing relief to lakhs of Mumbai commuters.

The BEST buses began plying on the roads soon after the announcement of the strike being called off in the afternoon.

During a hearing on a PIL on the strike at the Bombay High Court earlier in the day, the BEST Workers' Union agreed to withdraw the stir after accepting the '10-step' increment offered by the management of the civic-run Bombay Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking as an interim measure.

Union leader Shashank Rao later addressed agitating workers and their families at Wadala Depot of the BEST and announced withdrawal of the strike.

"We accepted the 10-step gradation pay hike before the court and agreed to resolve remaining issues through a mediator," Rao said.

Rao earlier met other senior union leaders and got their consent to call off the strike, which began on January 8.

The strike, which caused inconvenience to about 25 lakh bus commuters, was the ...