The sudden cancellation of a few services of Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) buses from Navi Mumbai to Mumbai’s World Trade Centre (WTC) at Cuffe Parade has thrown several daily commuters into chaos. Despite repeated appeals to NMMT officials and the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), no steps have been taken to restore these critical morning peak-hour services.
Until recently, four buses operated daily on each route connecting Navi Mumbai to the WTC. But a sharp cutback to just one or two buses has upended travel plans, leaving commuters frustrated and stranded.
One of the most vocal protestors is advocate Shyam Kalyankar, a regular on the now-cancelled second bus on Route 108. After a call with Sunil Jagtap, the Turbhe depot manager, Kalyankar has threatened to escalate the issue to the Bombay High Court. According to the depot, the cuts were due to mounting operational losses and funding shortages.
When asked about the impact of the 50% fare discount for female passengers, officials clarified that the subsidy was mandated by the State Government and could not be rolled back without approval. However, this well-intended policy has fueled a standoff between the state and NMMT, with commuters caught in the crossfire.
Interestingly, many women commuters have expressed a willingness to pay the full fare, saying they never asked for a discount. Meanwhile, commuters have raised serious allegations against NMMT, accusing it of colluding with private bus operators. Some suspect that bribes were involved in scrapping the South Mumbai routes to push commuters toward costlier private transport.
Adding to the frustration, the NMMT website has failed to reflect the revised schedules, confusing. No official notice was issued about the cancellations of key morning services, including Bus 110/1 from Kharghar (7:10 a.m.), Bus 106/1 from Panvel (7:20 a.m.), and Bus 108/2 from Nerul (8:00 a.m.). Many commuters have been forced to rely on Telegram groups for last-minute updates.
The replacement of comfortable Volvo buses with crowded Blue Electric buses has further diminished the travel experience. With no official resolution in sight, frustrated commuters are now considering political action to pressure NMMT to restore the suspended services.