Mumbai: Former employees of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) have announced an indefinite chain hunger strike at Azad Maidan beginning January 27, protesting the continued non-payment
of their retirement dues, including gratuity and other statutory benefits.
According to the agitating employees, a large number of retired BEST workers have been waiting for their dues for over three years, with individual pending amounts running into several lakhs of rupees. The protest has been called after repeated representations and protests failed to yield any concrete assurance on the release of payments.
The hunger strike will be conducted in a chain format, with protesters participating one after another, and is scheduled to begin at 9 am on January 27. The agitation is being organised under the banner of a committee representing retired BEST employees.
According a report from Maharashtra Times, the retirees have alleged that despite assurances from the authorities in the past, their long-pending payments have not been cleared. They have claimed that the delay caused severe financial hardship to several former employees, many of whom are dependent on these funds for medical expenses and daily living after retirement.
BEST has been facing persistent financial stress in recent years. While fare reductions and financial assistance from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation were introduced to support the undertaking, retired employees maintain that these measures have not translated into the settlement of their outstanding dues.
The protesters have also pointed out that government representatives had earlier stated that pending payments, including certain allowances, had been cleared. However, the retired employees insist that the promised amounts have not been credited to them, prompting the decision to intensify their agitation.
The former employees have warned that the hunger strike will continue indefinitely until their demands are addressed and all legitimate dues are released.
Azad Maidan, a traditional venue for public protests in Mumbai, is expected to witness sustained demonstrations as the agitation unfolds in the coming days.
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