Mumbai- the projected Shanghai of tomorrow is easily held ransom by two or three forces- nature's fury compounded by lack of good drainage, a political party which threatens to mutate into many other avtaars and last but certainly not the least the BEST.The other Best that I know is a gentleman called George Best whose antics on the football field and simultaneously off it are still discussed in learned football circles. His ability to strike won his team many a match. The BESTs strike of course is a lost cause.Every year- before Diwali when bonuses are to be declared the big fat lady demands a big fat bonus. It's given, no questions asked. Just as the BESTconductor doesn't bat an eyelid before asking u to disembark if you don't have exact change, the BEST also doesn't think twice before calling STRIKE. So Monu who takes 86 to school or Mr Mehta who takes the AC bus to Nariman Point have to suffer. The worst hit are the ones who don't have an option but take buses. These are the petty laborers who obviously can't afford a cab or even a rick.This time around the demand seems reasonable. But then if there was a deadline of Apr'06 for the revision and the BEST committee saw it coming then why wasn't anyone proactive about it?Can we as Mumbai citizens do ANYTHING at all about this hostage crisis that we are subject to day after day? SBI, BEST, PWD, striking doctors the list is endless. Everybody has their concerns but is anyone really concerned?

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