Strike: Trains, bus services unaffected in Mumbai

Transport services in the country's financial capital have remained unaffected till Wednesday noon on the day of a nationwide strike called by ten central trade unions to protest against the government's "anti-people" policies.

Suburban trains, which are called as the "lifeline of Mumbai" with a ridership of more than 75 lakh commuters per day, public buses, taxis and autorickshaws are running normally in the island city and suburbs.

"Suburban locals on all three lines are running normally, except minor delays," said officials.

Similarly, Metro and Monorail services are running smoothly, sources in MMRDA (Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority) said.

Officials of BEST (Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport), which operates a fleet of buses in Mumbai, its extended suburbs and Navi Mumbai, said buses are running as per schedule.

BEST buses ferry nearly 35 lakh passengers per day with the fleet of around 3400 buses.

A union leader said taxis and autorickshaws are plying as usual and there are no reports of any untoward incident due to the strike.

Normally, at least 45,000 taxis and 1.75 lakh autorickshaws ply on Mumbai roads.

Trade unions INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF, UTUC along with various sectoral independent federations and associations had adopted a declaration in September last year to go on the nationwide strike on January 8.

The trade unions have claimed around 25 crore people are participating in the strike to protest against the government's "anti-people" policies.