Considering the issue of traffic congestion and frequent strikes by auto rickshaw drivers, an airport bus shuttle service would be efficient from the usability point of view

Despite being the financial capital of India, Mumbai remains the only metro in India as well in the world to be without any dedicated airport bus shuttle service connecting important parts of the city to the airport. While transport activists are campaigning for the same, the BRIHANMUMBAI Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST), having monopoly in Mumbai’s bus transport, seems to be uninterested in the project.

Moneylife had campaigned to start a dedicated public bus transport with adequate luggage space to the Mumbai Airport. Moneylife Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation, drafted a memorandum with the help of experts on transportation, who unanimously supported the idea of starting an air-conditioned public bus service on a priority basis. The memorandum was sent to the BEST and to Prithviraj Chavan, chief minister of Maharashtra. Moneylife Foundation submits memorandum to BEST, CM appeals to start air shuttle for Mumbai Airport

BEST, in its reply to the memorandum, instead of calling discussion on starting such project, has have ruled of any possibility of starting it. It also failed to address the core issue raised by Moneylife. Instead, it gave details about the bus services which are run near the airport, both domestic and international.

BEST said that it has not been given any space for a bus terminus to start such a service. It also said that such services were being operated in the night “from the International Airport to Colaba and Borivali using low-floor buses which has space for luggage. However, the services were discontinued due to poor response from the passengers who required services right up to their door step; to their housing society compounds.”

Experts on transport, while drafting the memorandum, had pointed out that passengers continue to be stranded at the airport terminals in the absence of adequate public transport or a dedicated shuttle, as is being operated in other metros across the world. There is dearth of prepaid cabs. While the BEST bus stops are not easy to spot and they often don’t have information about the bus route and timings.

Mumbai is the only major city in the world and within India that does not have such a service even as Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kolkata successfully run such service. Experts say that starting such service is a ‘doable’ project. This is mainly because the project would be of small size and the target audience is clearly identified.

Considering the issue of traffic congestion and frequent strikes by auto rickshaw drivers, such a service would be efficient from the usability point of view.