Last Updated:
Mumbai’s public transport passengers were surprised when BEST reintroduced toll charges for bus commuters travelling across the city limits.
Daily travellers are questioning the rationale behind this decision.
Mumbai’s daily bus commuters are feeling the pinch once again as the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) reinstated a ₹2 toll tax on select routes that cross city limits.
This move follows a recent fare hike that has already doubled ticket prices for both air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned buses. The new toll charge, applicable on routes passing through toll nakas like Mulund and Dahisar check posts, has sparked frustration among office-goers and daily wage earners who rely on BEST for affordable travel.
Once a reliable and budget-friendly mode of transport, BEST services are now increasingly being seen as less accessible due to the compounding costs.
According to The Free Press Journal, the ₹2 toll surcharge is now embedded in the ticket cost for passengers travelling on intercity routes such as C-52 (Rani Lakshmi Bai Chowk in Sion to Dadlani Park in Thane) and C-71 (Mahim Bus Station to Mira Road Station East). The move has led to confusion among commuters, many of whom remember tolls being scrapped earlier.
Pranay Das, a commuter who travels from Thane via the C-42 bus route, expressed his frustration over the toll fee. The route passes from Mulund Toll Naka to Sion, close to his workplace. “Already the BEST has almost doubled the fare suddenly, and now they are even charging a toll fee, which is another burden on us,” Das said, as quoted by The Free Press Journal.
Avakash Vishwakarma, another commuter who uses the Airoli toll naka to travel from Mulund to Vashi via the 512 bus route, said, “Toll fees are revoked for private cars, then why do they need to impose a toll fee on buses for which we already pay an increased fare now?”
The revised fare structure has hiked both the base ticket rates and reintroduced toll surcharges. According to BEST officials, the minimum fare for non-AC buses has doubled from ₹5 to ₹10, while the maximum fare has surged from ₹20 to ₹60. AC bus fares have also seen a steep rise, with the minimum fare increasing from ₹6 to ₹12 and the maximum fare jumping from ₹25 to ₹65.
- Location :
Delhi, India, India
- First Published:
