Bus services provided by the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Transport (MBMT) came to a grinding halt in the twin-city after contractual employees went on a flash strike to register their protest against the assault on an on-duty driver by a biker in Mira Road on Wednesday evening.
The incident was reported on bus route number 17 which operates from the Mira Road railway station to Vinay Nagar in Kashimira. A biker was attempting to overtake the bus but its driver Rameshwar Bidwe got in his way. The biker reached the next stop near S.K.Stone Signal and picked up a quarrel with Bidve.
After rounds of verbal abuse, the biker thrashed Bidve and left the spot. Demanding action against the biker who is said to be the son of the contractor who operates the bus service, drivers went on a flash strike. “Process was on to register an FIR against the biker,” confirmed a senior police officer from the Mira Road police station. However, buses remained off roads as reports last came in till late in the night, leaving commuters in a lurch. After terminating the contract with the regular service provider, the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) had chalked out a stop-gap arrangement by appointing a local agency-Mahalaxmi Krupa Infrastructure to operate its bus fleet.
