Days after the BEST Undertaking announced a special bus route (S-145) in sync with Chalo App for Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), India’s longest sea bridge, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) also proposed starting four services between Nerul and Mantralaya on the bridge.
NMMT General Manager Yogesh Kaduskar said they will change the route of bus number 115 that operates on the Kharkopar-World Trade Centre stretch to cross MTHL instead. He said the service will now be available between Nerul and Mantralaya via Atal Setu as MTHL is officially called.
No change in fare as of now
Kaduskar said the service is likely to start as early as next week and there will be no change in the fares as of now. “We have decided to charge the same fare (Rs90) for the 52km route. As regards to extending the load of heavy toll rates on passengers, we are yet to take a call,” he added.
The NMMT plies around 567 buses on 74 routes, thereby serving around 1.8 lakh passengers daily. Besides operating within the NMMC jurisdiction, the NMMT also provides services to surrounding cities such as Thane, Mumbai, Kalyan, Dombivali, Uran and Khopoli.
Earlier, the Navi Mumbai civic transport also became the first undertaking in the state, after the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), to make travel easy and trouble free for senior citizens above 65 years of age; they can travel for free by producing their proof of residence in the NMMC area and age.
To prevent disturbance to co-passengers and following several complaints, it also restricted the use of mobile phones on its buses.
The decision is taken to increase efficiency and offer quality travel. It does not prohibit the use of mobile phones but requests passengers to avoid playing music and videos loudly and use earphones instead.
The BEST, meanwhile, has announced that it will soon start two services every morning and evening between Konkan Bhavan in Belapur and the World Trade Centre. They will run via Sai Sangam, Targhar, Ulwe node, Aai Tarumata, Kamdhenu Oaklands, MTHL, Eastern Freeway, CSMT, Churchgate station and end at Cuffe Parade.
