Public transport in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, was severely affected on Monday after around 40% of bus drivers and conductors of Bhopal City Link Limited (BCLL) buses went on strike. The strike was over salary issues, with approximately 400 employees of Maa Associates, which operates 149 BCLL buses, refusing to turn up for work. There are four operators of BCLL buses in Bhopal – Maa Associates, AP Motors, Shri Durgamba and Incubate Soft Tech Mobility Transway – and in total, 367 BCLL-run buses ply the streets of the state capital, with 149 of them remaining off the roads due to the strike.
According to BCLL officer Sanjay Soni, the driving force behind the strike was Maa Associate bus operators, as wages had not been paid on time, causing employees to face difficulties in meeting household requirements. They also requested clarity on payments being made towards their Provident Fund (PF).
Passengers travelling on BCLL buses in Bhopal struggled to commute as a result of the low number of buses available due to the strike. Affected bus routes included Gandhi Nagar to Ayodhya Nagar, Idgah Hills-AIIMS, Putlighar-CRPF Bangrasia, Bhauri-Mandideep, Kokta-Lalghati, Nariyal Kheda-LNCT, Nehru Nagar-Krishna Heights, Coach Factory-Bairagarh Chichli, Eco-Akriti City-Chirayu, Misrod-Airport.
Other operators of BCLL buses in the city were able to maintain some services throughout the day.
