Union leader Shashank Rao has opposed the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply & Transport’s (BEST) introduction of 100 private midi-buses that will be small in size to contractors, claiming that this is the
Union leader Shashank Rao has opposed the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply & Transport’s (BEST) introduction of 100 private midi-buses that will be small in size to contractors, claiming that this is the beginning of privatisation of the public undertaking.
BEST, which has been talking about bringing in these midi-buses from private companies in order to reduce overhead costs, has finally floated the tender for 100 mid-buses, with 50 buses for a minimum guaranteed mileage of 4,000 km and the remaining 50 for 5,000 km. However, Mr Rao and his supporters termed this a ruse of BEST management to bring in private players into BEST. “According to the contract, they will use only our bus conductors, while the drivers and maintenance staff will belong to the private company which wins the bid. According to our calculations, that puts seven of our people out of work per bus, meaning that 700 workers from BEST will lose their jobs,” said Mr Rao.
Mr Rao took over the BEST workers’ union around six months ago when his father, Sharad Rao, fell ill. Mr Shashank Rao on Tuesday said that other than the fact that the move puts the jobs of drivers and eventually, conductors, in jeopardy, the tender also stipulates that private company owners will be allowed to park these buses in BEST depots at a cost of '1 per bus per year.
“The contract will allow these private buses to be parked at the cost of '1 per day for an entire year. Imagine the amount of revenue we will lose if private companies are asked to pay such a trivial amount,” said Mr Rao. He will be meeting union members at Vadala depot on Wednesday this week.
