Mumbai : Doctors in Maharashtra hospitals called off their 12-day strike Saturday after the authorities conceded some of their demands related to their safety and working hours.

As word spread that the doctors were back at work, thousands of patients poured into the hospitals. Long queues were seen in the city's hospitals.

"It could not have come at a better time for me. My son's eye surgery was fixed for Sunday and we were wondering what would happen as his condition is very delicate," said Anant Kishnan, a corporate executive.

The decision to call off the strike came after the government promised to institute a four-man committee - including members of the Maharashra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) - to look into the issue of security for doctors and promised to check the feasibility of reducing their working hours.

MARD members said they would put in extra hours to clear the backlog of cases after assurances from the government that no action would be taken against them for going on strike.

The government agreed to increase their stipend to Rs.12,500 a month, less than the original demand of Rs.13,500.

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