Nerul-Dadar AC bus service likely to be scrapped

Two newly introduced air-conditioned bus services between Nerul and Mantralaya and Nerul and Dadar by Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) are likely to be scrapped in a few weeks as they have failed to generate requisite revenue. The frequency of the buses have been decreased with immediate effect.

The cash-strapped transport wing of NMMC had changed the bus route from Panvel-Mantralaya and Panvel-Dadar to Nerul-Mantralaya and Nerul-Dadar last month to make the services profitable. But the change in routes did not work in favour of NMMT. The routes of bus No101 and No108 were changed on August 1.

The change, which was brought to generate profits in fact resulted in decline in revenue. Now, buses have been running at a loss of around 40% to 50% on each trip. dna of navi mumbai had also reported in its August 28 edition that the new AC bus services have failed to bring revenue.

Anwar Shaikh, chairman of NMMT confirmed that both services are running at losses and the final decision of services being scrapped would be taken in one or two weeks. “We will assess the services for another week and if there is no change in the revenue pattern, the services are likely to be scrapped,” said Shaikh.

At present, both AC buses have been receiving poor response from commuters on the new route, which originates from sector 46/48 of Nerul. “There has been a further revenue loss on the new route. The buses are running empty on their way from Mumbai and hardly any passengers go up to Nerul,” said Umakant Jangle, traffic superintendent, NMMT.

In each trip, both buses are generating mere Rs3,000 to Rs4,000, while on the old routes they were making around Rs6,000 to Rs7,000. The AC bus services have been in trouble since they were introduced in 2012; the services have been closed and have resumed several times.

“We had changed the route of both the services to make some profits,” said an official. The new route was designed to touch residential areas to get more commuters. Route No101 runs via Seawoods, Sarsole depot, Juinagar, Sanpada, Moraj (Palm Beach Road), Vashi depot and then towards Mumbai. Bus No108 runs via Seawoods, Nerul station (E), DY Patil University, Turbhe Naka, APMC and Vashi depot. Currently, NMMT has four services from each side.

It runs three AC buses, and only one route is generating revenue close to break-even point. “Bus No123 [Kamothe-Borivli] is generating revenue of around Rs16,000 to Rs17,000 in each trip which is close to break-even,” said Jangle.
More ring route services soon.

On Sunday, the NMMT kicked off an AC bus service and a ring road service.
The new AC bus services will run between APMC and Borivali while two mini buses will run in Nerul. The ring route service starts from D Y Patil stadium to Karave Nagar, Sector 48, Nerul, near Seawoods. “We have planned two more ring route services in Belapur and Turbhe,” said Shaikh.

Depending upon the 30-seater mini bus, eight more buses will be added in the fleet.