BEST Wet Lease Bus Staff Go On Flash Strike In Mumbai

14 Jan 2025 CW Team

The contractual employees of a private operator hired by the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport undertaking went on a flash strike at one of the depots in Mumbai early Monday morning, partially affecting the BEST bus services. While BEST did not disclose the reason for the strike, sources said it was triggered by the alleged mistreatment of a pregnant woman conductor by officials of the private operator.

A BEST official said the services were affected on a few routes as the strike was limited to the Pratiksha Nagar depot, while a union leader claimed more than 100 buses of the private operator remained off the road.

Notably, BEST, which operates nearly 3,000 buses and serves more than 30 lakh passengers daily, has been without a general manager for more than a week.

An additional commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is currently holding charge of the position.

BEST public relations officer Sudas Sawant told PTI that employees of the wet lease operator Mateshwari were on strike over their demands, leading to buses on some routes to remain off the road.

He also said the strike was limited to the Pratiksha Nagar depot, and bus operations at the other BEST depots were unaffected.

BEST employees union leader Suhas Samant said Mateshwari operates 110 buses from the Pratiksha Nagar depot, and none of them were running since the strike began in the morning Mateshwari officials could not be reached for comments on the matter.

Under the wet lease model, private operators take care of the maintenance of buses and salaries of drivers.

Infrastructure Transport

17 Oct 2025

Sonowal Unveils Eight Projects at NMPA’s Golden Jubilee

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, inaugurated the Curtain Raiser Ceremony of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) at Bharat Mandapam. To commemorate the milestone, he unveiled eight major maritime infrastructure projects designed to strengthen India’s port network, enhance logistics performance, and promote sustainability. These include a modern cruise terminal, new covered storage facilities, a 150-bed multi-speciality hospital, expanded truck terminals, and improved port access infrastructure aimed at enhancing..

India To Boost US LPG Imports, Cut Middle East Reliance

India is planning to reduce imports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from the Middle East as state-owned refiners prepare to ramp up purchases from the United States, according to sources familiar with the matter. The move aligns with New Delhi’s efforts to expand energy cooperation and secure a broader trade deal with Washington. State refiners have already notified their traditional LPG suppliers in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar of the potential reduction in imports. Although the exact size of the supply cut was not disclosed, earlier reports suggested that Indi..

UK Sanctions Nayara Energy in Crackdown on Russian Oil

The United Kingdom has announced fresh sanctions on 90 entities, including Indian refiner Nayara Energy Limited, in its latest bid to curb Russian oil revenues and weaken President Vladimir Putin’s war funding. The sanctions, unveiled jointly by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the UK Treasury, aim to disrupt networks supporting Moscow’s crude exports amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. According to the FCDO, the new restrictions are intended to “strike at the heart of Putin’s war funding” by targeting firms and assets that enable Russia’s energy trade. “..