NEW DELHI, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of state-run buses went on strike Thursday in India's financial capital Mumbai, putting public transport in great trouble, according to Indo-Asian News Service.

    Employees of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST), the city's only public transport network besides trains, started a 72-hour strike at midnight Wednesday demanding better salaries.

    BEST trade unions accused the management of not fulfilling their promise to increase employees' salaries.

    The bus company is running 3,500 buses and about 42,000 employees are participating in the strike, the BEST sources said.

    With the strike, taxis and auto rickshaws became much more needed than usual though they have already raised the fares and the commuting trains were working beyond their capacity.

    The BEST management has threatened striking employees with "stringent" action.

    Citing a Bombay (Mumbai) High Court ruling on the strike, BEST official Uttam Khobragade said: "The strike is illegal. Those employees, who have not reported for duty, will face stringent action. Efforts are being made to run the buses."