Mumbai local trains back on track as strike ends

Mumbai's suburban train services, the city's lifeline, began resuming normal operations from last evening after two days of disruption caused by a motormen's strike that crippled India's financial capital.

The agitation was called off after the state government gave an assurance that it would mediate between the strikers and the railway board, home minister R R Patil said after his meeting with the engine drivers' representatives. ''The government took the lead to resolve the crisis as normal life was thrown out of gear due to the trike and people were facing lot of hardship,'' Patil said.

"Trains are running as per schedule since early Wednesday," said a railway official today.

Earlier on Tuesday, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray said he would fight with the government on genuine demands of motormen and asked them to resume work immediately. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, whose party's poll symbol is the railway engine, also warned motormen to call off the strike or else face his party's wrath.

''The motormen should withdraw the strike by afternoon, else my party would oppose the strike,'' he said. ''People have seen what happens when MNS jumps into the protest. Also, the government should take strict action against the motormen. We have sympathy towards their demands, but harassing commuters in this way is not correct,'' he added.

Earlier in the day, the state government had decided to invoke Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) against the motormen, but realising it wouldn't solve the problem, it ruled out imposing this Act.

Mumbai's electric trains carry nearly seven million people every day. Their drivers, or motormen as they are known, launched the protest Monday, seriously hitting movement of people from and to the city.

The drivers are demanding higher wages, including overtime allowances, and safety on the tracks.