BEST to rejig 30 routes from June 1
MUMBAI: Starting June 1, BEST is all set to rejig its bus schedules. A total of 30 bus routes plying in South Mumbai and the eastern and western suburbs will undergo changes—some buses will be short-terminated on some routes, some non-AC buses will be converted to AC and new routes will be added.
'Based on passenger feedback and operational challenges, a review of bus operations was conducted, and the necessary operational changes will be implemented from June 1,' said a BEST official. 'As part of this update, some new bus routes will be introduced and modifications will be made to certain existing routes.'
Sources said that the popular route AC-10 from Backbay Depot to Rani Laxmibai Chowk in Sion will now take a detour from Museum via Hutatma Chowk, Bhendi Bazaar and Mazagaon instead of the existing route via P D'Mello Road connecting Dockyard Road. Local residents are not very happy about this.
Another bus route, 11 Ltd, from Navy Nagar to Bandra, will take the Lalbaug flyover and will not halt at three bus stops previously on its route. Route A-25, connecting Kurla Depot in the eastern suburbs with Backbay, will now be curtailed at Sion. Another interesting change is in Route 56 connecting Versova and Worli Depot. Sources in BEST said that on Sundays, the route would have an AC bus while on weekdays it would be non-AC.
'We are trying to reduce the kilometre run of long-distance bus routes, which don't have much footfall,' explained a BEST official. 'It's a way to rationalise our fleet and reduce fuel costs.' For instance, Route 79 from Gorai to Santacruz will now run on the Charkop-Santacruz route.
BEST is also introducing new bus routes and converting non-AC buses to AC ones based on the demand. There is a new A-490 AC bus connecting Mantralaya and Thane Balkum while a new ring route bus A-175 will ply on Pratiksha Nagar, Antop Hill, Wadala, Khodadad Circle and Portuguese Church.
At present, BEST operates 430 bus routes from its fleet of 2,600-odd buses. Of the total bus routes, 70% or so connect railway stations and residential societies and commercial offices through ring routes while the remaining are long-distance routes of more than 25 km.
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