Rail strike paralyses Bombay

Suburban train services in Bombay were paralysed, throwing normal life out of gear when 750-odd motormen went on a day's mass casual leave protesting against the Fifth Pay Commission's recommendations.

Only a few trains plied on the Central and the Western Railway during the morning peak hours after which suburban trains grounded to a halt.

About 40 per cent of the office-going public managed to reach their workplaces as the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport and the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation made special efforts to run more buses.

Serpentine queues was witnessed at the bus stands, with commuters jumping to catch the over-crowded buses.

According to a BEST spokesperson, 350 additional buses were put on the roads. As for the MSRTC, it deployed as many as 60 extra buses to transport commuting public from Kasara, Kalyan, Badlapur, Vashi, Andheri and Malad.

UNI