Thousands of daily commuters from Mumbra, Shilphata, and Kalyan Phata have appealed to Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) to extend bus Routes A-494 and 499 beyond their current endpoints at Ghatkopar up to Shilphata or Kalyan Phata. The demand has been raised repeatedly by passenger groups and social organizations due to the severe lack of affordable and reliable public transport options in this fast-growing commuter corridor.
At present, Routes 494 (Reti Bunder, Mumbra – Ghatkopar), A-494 (Kharegaon – Mulund Depot), and 499 (Vrindavan Society, Thane – Ghatkopar) cater to a large volume of office-goers, students, and daily wage earners traveling towards Mulund, Bhandup, Kurla, and central Mumbai. However, commuters from Shilphata and Kalyan Phata are forced to depend on overcrowded shared autos, private buses, and costly alternatives to reach the nearest BEST bus points.
“Every morning and evening, thousands of people from the Mumbra–Shilphata belt struggle with unsafe, expensive, and unreliable transport. Extending BEST services by just a few more kilometers can bring huge relief to working-class commuters,” said Nazim Ansari of Mumbra Pravasi Sangh.
Commuter groups have also pointed out that BEST already runs successful inter-city routes connecting Mumbai with Navi Mumbai, including Route 501 LTD (Kurla – Airoli), Route 503 LTD (Kalamboli – Rani Laxmibai Chowk), and Route 505 LTD (CBD Belapur – Bandra). These services prove that cross-municipal connectivity is feasible and widely used by the public.
Shilphata and Kalyan Phata fall on a critical transit corridor connecting Thane, Navi Mumbai, and Mumbai. Despite rapid residential and commercial growth in this belt, public transport connectivity remains poor, increasing dependence on private vehicles and worsening congestion and safety risks.
Commuters have urged BEST to at least introduce a pilot service during non-peak hours to study demand and operational feasibility. They believe a trial run can help authorities take data-driven decisions without putting pressure on the existing fleet during peak hours.
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