New Delhi: With only four days remaining before the Ganpati festival, Maharashtras state bus transport employees have launched an unannounced strike, causing significant disruptions across the state. The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has reported that bus services have been halted at 35 out of 250 depots statewide.While the effects of the strike are not immediately visible on the streets of Mumbai, its impact is notably felt in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and several other cities and towns in Maharashtra. The strike, which commenced at 8 am on Tuesday, was called by an action committee of 11 trade unions to address various employee demands.MSRTC statesAn MSRTC spokesperson confirmed, Bus services of the state-owned transport corporation have completely stopped at 35 of the 250 depots in Maharashtra due to the strike called by the action committee of 11 trade unions from midnight.Though the bus service in the Mumbai division remains unaffected, there has been partial disruption in the neighboring Thane division. The bus depots at Kalyan and Vitthalwadi in Thane Division are completely shut. Other depots are either fully or partially operational, added the spokesperson.Maharashtas event As the Ganpati festival is one of Maharashtras most widely celebrated events, especially in the Konkan region, MSRTC had planned to operate 5,000 extra buses between September 3-7 from Mumbai, Thane, and Palghar divisions. However, if the strike continues, passengers who have pre-booked these buses to travel to their native villages and towns may face severe difficulties.The Maharashtra ST Kamgar Sanyukt Kruti Samiti organized this strike to demand a salary increase and address other grievances after negotiations with the state government broke down last month. The committee is pressing for salaries comparable to those of state government employees. The strike has heavily impacted bus services in Pune, Satara, Sangli, and Nashik, severely affecting passenger movement. With a fleet of approximately 15,000 buses and a workforce of 90,000, MSRTC is a vital public transport provider in Maharashtra, transporting over 60 lakh passengers daily.
