FM Arun Jaitley proposes, transport unions oppose

Transport unions across the city have opposed the idea proposed by finance minister Arun Jaitley, which suggested that state government consider amendments in the Motor Vehicle Act (MVA) to allow opening up the passenger segment of public transport to the private sector.

Unions said that this would affect autorickshaws, taxis, as well as Brihanmumbai Electric Supply & Transport (BEST) and the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), all who have been suffering from severe losses and dwindling customer base.

Union leader Shashank Rao from the Autorickshaw and Taxi Union and who is also associated with the BEST Kamgar Sangh has said they have already been fighting a battle with bus operators who have been running their services within the island city, as well as the suburbs illegally and they will fight tooth and nail if privatisation is proposed. “We have been saying these illegal buses that are being operated in South Mumbai, right under the government’s nose should be stopped. There is no way we will allow anyone to enter our area of providing services on short stoppages,” he said.

On the other hand, Maharashtra State Transport Kamgar Sanghatana president Shivajirao Chavan has said that the ball now lies in the state government’s court, since it will be its prerogative to accept the new terms. “Minister Diwakar Raote had assured us that we will not be privatised in any way and they we still run as a state entity. Now it is their decision whether to stick to the promises made to us or not,” he said.

Senior BEST officials, on condition of anonymity, have said there is a fear private companies will ply on most profitable routes and leave them with the loss -making ones. “Most of the passenger revenue that we get are on our ring routes, like CST or Churchgate to Nariman Point. Some routes in Bandra and Andheri are also popular. But if commuting is privatised, then we will be left to fend for ourselves by running services on routes that are completely loss-making,” he said.