Mumbai Coastal Road's Bus Lane Fails to Deliver on Public Transport Promise
Commuters in Mumbai are expressing growing frustration over the underutilization of the dedicated bus lane on the city's coastal road. A project that was built with the explicit promise of faster connectivity has yet to translate into a dependable public transport system, leaving many questioning the return on the crores invested in this corridor.
Limited Bus Services Defeat Time-Saving Purpose
Currently, only two Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) routes operate on the coastal road stretch, and they do so with severely limited trips. This sparse service defeats the very purpose of what was envisioned as a time-saving bypass for the city's harried commuters. Regular users are now demanding more buses with significantly increased frequency to make the corridor truly effective.
Passengers highlight that the coastal road offers a smoother ride, zero traffic signals, and a more predictable travel time when compared to the congested interior routes of Mumbai. However, the low frequency of buses means that passengers often end up waiting for extended periods, thereby losing the time advantage that the corridor is supposed to provide.
Commuters Voice Their Discontent
"The A-84 is a popular route, but the frequency is pathetic. I got a bus after an hour-long wait, and this is the minimum wait time," said Shubham Padave, a bus enthusiast. He emphasized that BEST should prioritize the coastal road given the superior quality of the road and the enhanced comfort of the journey it offers.
Official Response and Constraints
BEST officials have acknowledged the issue, stating that the intent was indeed to scale up services on the coastal road. However, they cite fleet constraints as a key hurdle preventing expansion. The Public Relations Officer claimed that the existing bus services benefit many commuters and that the undertaking is "serious about giving coastal road buses priority."
Activists and Experts Weigh In
Transport activists argue that the underuse of the dedicated bus lane represents a significant missed opportunity to shift commuters from private vehicles to mass transit. They are demanding at least 50 to 100 bus services daily on the stretch, with higher operating speeds and all-day availability to maximize its potential.
Urban transport expert Ashok Datar has proposed a strategic solution: linking the coastal road corridor to a dedicated bus corridor on the Western Express Highway (WEH). He argues that such integration could substantially reduce congestion, cut emissions and fuel consumption, and make road space more efficient across the city.
The situation underscores a critical gap between infrastructure investment and operational execution. As Mumbai continues to grapple with traffic woes, the effective utilization of assets like the coastal road's bus lane remains paramount for sustainable urban mobility.
