The Maharashtra government on Monday established a technical group and a study group to examine and propose recommendations for launching an integrated bus transport service across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The study group will develop an integrated bus transport plan for MMR, encompassing bus route coordination, timetable synchronization, technology integration, and infrastructure sharing among all Public Transport Operators (PTOs) in the region. Additionally, the plan will include implementing uniform procedures for all PTOs in MMR.
According to a Government Resolution (GR), these groups are formed to conduct a comprehensive study and submit a detailed plan. The technical group is led by the Assistant General Manager (Transport and Operations) of BEST and includes transport managers from all other PTOs in MMR. The study group is chaired by BEST General Manager Sonia Sethi and comprises all municipal commissioners of MMR as members.
The GR stated: “The technical group should study the coordination of the bus route network, coordination of service schedules, technology integration, and infrastructure sharing among all transport managers and submit a coordination plan to the government by July 15. They will propose route formulation after a comprehensive study, evaluate timetables compatible with all transport managers in MMR, create a roadmap for technology integration, suggest infrastructure partnership solutions for all PTOs, harmonize fares for inter-city/inter-jurisdiction trips, suggest fares for combined trips involving more than one PTO, and propose a method for sharing these fares.”
The technical committee will submit its report to the study group. The GR further noted: “The study group shall submit a proposal to the government by July 31 after discussing, deliberating, and considering the technical group’s recommendations on a uniform and harmonized fare structure for all PTOs. It will ensure a fare structure by evaluating and streamlining the current fare structure to enhance passenger convenience. It will also ensure a formula for revenue sharing under the ‘telescopic fare’ system—where fares decrease in stages with distance—and a shared ticketing system to improve cost-effectiveness for long-distance travel in MMR. The group will decide on a revenue-sharing mechanism and reconciliation procedure for inter-city/inter-jurisdictional trips.”
Officials explained that NITI Aayog has introduced a concept to develop city-regions as Growth Hubs (G-HUB). Through G-HUB, an economic growth policy is being prepared for selected regions across the country, with a roadmap for implementation. MMR has been selected as the pilot city-region. A Coordination Committee under Chief Secretary Rajesh Agarwal has been constituted to review the MMR Economic Master Plan. A Growth Hub Governing Board, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, has been established to give final approval to the plan and guide the Coordination Committee. Following the board’s directions, a Task Force has been formed to prepare an integrated bus transportation plan for MMR.
