June 26, 2025: Private bus operators in Mumbai have warned of an indefinite strike starting July 1, 2025 if their longstanding grievances are not addressed by the relevant authorities. The proposed industrial action is expected to disrupt a wide range of services, including school transportation, employee shuttles, aggregator platforms such as Uber, and intrastate private travel services.
A senior representative of the Mumbai Bus Malak Sanghatana, the umbrella body for private bus owners, confirmed that several passenger transport associations have collectively agreed to launch a “Key Down” protest should their demands remain unmet beyond June 30.
“This strike is a response to the arbitrary issuance of e-challans, poor road infrastructure, and ongoing bureaucratic obstacles that continue to hinder our operations,” the representative said. He also noted that the protest has gained support from across the private transport spectrum—including school bus operators, employee transportation services, aggregators like Cityflo and Uber, and long-distance private coach operators.
In a related move, the Mumbai Traffic Police have convened a meeting of the District School Bus Safety Committee on Thursday at their Worli office. The session will be chaired by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), with representatives from the School Bus Owners’ Association in attendance.
According to sources, the association—which has also raised concerns regarding unresolved issues—will determine its course of action following the outcome of this meeting.
Anil Garg, a senior figure in the School Bus Owners’ Association, confirmed that school transport providers are grappling with similar challenges and echoed the sentiment of solidarity with the broader protest movement.
With the strike threat looming, city commuters may face significant disruptions unless a resolution is reached promptly.
Source: The Free Press Journal
