MUMBAI: Even as the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) employees’ state-wide strike entered its 16th day, the corporation operated 36 buses on 17 routes on Friday with a section of workers, including drivers and conductors, returning to work.
While more than 1,500 workers resumed services, 826 passengers travelled by ST buses on Friday, officials said.
The MSRTC has suspended 2,053 workers so far and this figure could go up if there are more agitations near the depots, sources said.
MSRTC managing director Shekhar Channe said that the corporation had accumulated losses mounting to Rs 12,000 crore, and during the total strike, it lost Rs 15 crore to Rs 20 crore daily.
He appealed to workers to resume duties and not put lakhs of commuters to inconvenience.
After the second wave of Covid 19, the MSRTC operates 12,500 buses and ferried 25 lakh-plus commuters daily, but due to the strike, bus services had come to a standstill. While talks with government failed, the impasse continued and strike is likely to continue during the weekend, sources said.
Officials said they, however, expect more workers to resume duties by Monday morning, helping more buses to operate across Maharashtra.
In Mumbai, four buses were operated till Pune and 78 passengers ferried while a bus was operated till Satara.
A day earlier, transport minister and MSRTC chairman Anil Parab had assured police protection for all workers returning to work and stringent action against those who instruct them while performing their duties.
On Friday, Parab said : “I have been meeting workers for the last many days. We have been asking the workers from the beginning to withdraw the strike.”
He said, “BJP leaders like Gopichand Padalkar are provoking the workers. They can make whatever allegations they like against me but they should not cause harm to the workers. Ultimately, it is the workers who will suffer.”
MNS chief Raj Thackeray met NCP supremo Sharad Pawar to press for the demands of the striking workers. MNS leaders said they were hopeful of a resolution.
From Friday, BEST also began bus services to cater to the MSRTC passengers.
A BEST bus attached to Worli depot is being operated from Dadar and Panvel, sources said.
