PIL in Bombay High Court seeks resumption of AC buses in city

BB Shetty, a senior citizen from Oshiwara, has moved the Bombay High Court seeking directions to the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) to re-start AC bus services in the city, which were discontinued in April, citing financial crunch.

Advocate VP Patil, appearing for the petitioner, mentioned the plea before a bench of Chief Justice Manjulla Chellur and Justice NM Jamdar, who has posted it for hearing next week. As per the petition, bus services have been abruptly stopped without prior notice to the public. Further, the sudden halt to services has caused several hardships to senior citizens and women who were regular users of the services.

Moreover, other corporations like Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation continues to ply AC buses while it is only in Mumbai that citizens are being denied a comfortable journey.

The petition prays for direction to restore the AC bus service. If not all services, then at least the AS-4 service from Oshiwara to Backbay depot. The petitioner states that to reduce the loss on this route, buses can ply only during peak hours in the morning and evening. Advocate Patil said that commuters of the bus service were now being forced to either take private cars or trains, which is highly inconvenient.