Mumbai: Bus conductors and drivers working in BEST this morning went on mass casual leave disrupting bus services in the usually bustling metro.

The striking employees said they will not join work till the management fulfils their demands.

Most of the BEST buses are in depots, while only 15 buses have come out on the roads till 8 am.

BEST spokesperson A S Tamboli said, the industrial court had stayed implementation of the proposed new duty schedule for drivers and conductors as well as new bus route timetable on March 25.

But, BEST undertaking appealed to the Bombay High Court, which vacated the stay order and directed that it be decided on priority basis on March 29.

Later, the industrial court approved the new duty schedule of bus drivers and conductors as well as bus route timetable on March 29, and it was to be effected from today (April 1).

BEST has appealed to drivers and conductors not to be misled by baseless news and joint duty immediately.