Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC) and Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) have decided to start bus services between Thane and Dombivali. There are no bus services operating on this route currently.
The administration has clarified that the main objective behind this decision is to reduce congestion on the local trains and provide safer, alternative travel facilities to passengers.
It is pertinent to note that this development came a week after 18-year-old HSC student Soham Kathare fell to his death from a packed local train between Mumbra and Kalwa stations on the morning of his Class XII board examination. This incident has sparked a wave of anger among the citizens.
Moreover, earlier on January 31, Chetna Devrukhkar (aged 28) also fell on the railway tracks while boarding a local train in the morning rush at Badlapur station and died on the spot.
Both these incidents have brought to the fore the issue of permanent congestion, especially on the Thane-Dombivli route.
The route will span Mothagaon Circle – Mothagaon Mankoli Bridge – Mankoli – Majivada Circle – Ghodbunder Road.
According to reports, KDMC will initially start two 40-seater buses. Each of these buses will run four trips during peak hours.
Also, TMC will get 303 electric buses under the central government's PM e-Bus Service Scheme. Some of these buses will run on the Thane-Dombivli route.
The move gained momentum after BJP corporator of Dombivli, Dipesh Mhatre, demanded immediate start of bus service between Dombivli-Thane. After that, both the municipalities planned to start bus service via Mankoli-Mothagaon bridge.
According to officials, this service is likely to start in the first week of March. This route will be from Majivada on Ghodbunder Road in Thane to Mothagaon in Dombivli West.
The opening of the Mankoli-Mothagaon bridge has reduced the travel distance by more than 10 km and this route directly connects Mumbai to Nashik highway.
Earlier, the proposed route via Bhiwandi bypass or Shilphata to Mumbra was cancelled as it was time-consuming due to traffic jams.
Officials said that the opening of the Kharegaon bridge will also help in reducing traffic jams.
A large number of commuters from Dombivli commute to the commercial areas of Wagle Estate and Ghodbunder Road in Thane every day.
The administration believes that the proposed bus service will reduce the pressure on local trains during rush hours and provide a safe and convenient travel option to commuters.
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