The villagers of Uttan, Gorai, Manori, Dongri, Chowk, and Pali, in the western suburbs of Mumbai, have been grappling with a lack of connectivity vis-a-vis public transport.
For college students and locals, bus route 8, from Uttan Naka to the Gorai creek, which used to be operated by the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC), always proved dependable, but this service was discontinued in 2021 amid the pandemic. The reason cited by the authorities was the lack of space for U-turns and parking, especially near the Gorai jetty.
A bus navigates a narrow lane
Since then, locals have been shelling out significant amounts of money on auto rides and other modes of transport to come to the Gorai jetty to catch a ferry. Rossi D’Souza, a member of the Gorai Gaothan Panchayat, said, “Though for one day, spending R40 on share autos does not sound too bad, but our villagers have been spending that amount daily for the past three to four years.”
Auto cartel
Another reason why locals are demanding the resumption of the bus service is the monopoly that auto drivers in the area are trying to maintain. Once a commuter gets off the ferry at Gorai jetty, auto drivers charge locals and tourists Rs 50 and Rs 100, respectively, to take them to Cross Junction, a distance of 4.5 km.
Only in rare occurrences does one get to bargain with the auto drivers. When this reporter visited the area, auto drivers expressed hostility about buses, admitting that they opposed them, as they would cost them their customers. A frequent commuter, Malingam Naidu, told mid-day, “Auto drivers are one of the main reasons for the stoppage of buses. They are completely opposed to the reintroduction of buses, and they charge exorbitant prices to those who take autos.”
Freeda Pradeep Moraes, Gorai-based activist
An auto driver said, on the condition of anonymity, “The narrow roads are a big reason why buses cannot ply here smoothly. In the past, buses would crash into two-wheelers while reversing at the Gorai jetty.” Auto drivers believe the main problem is the parking of two-wheelers on the road outside the jetty, as many riders don’t like paying the extra cost of ferrying their vehicles across the Gorai creek.
Existing route
Currently, bus route 4, from Bhayandar railway station to Global Vipassana Pagoda, is operational and used by those who travel to work. But it could also be the main means of transport for those attending college and school. Samuel D’Souza, a college student, said, “It will be easier to travel by route 8 when it resumes if the timings are tweaked to match those of educational institutes. I would either be half an hour early or late. Price-wise, it would save us a lot of money.”
Activist speaks
Freeda Pradeep Moraes, a local activist, said, “Bus route 8 is also important for people travelling to the Karuna Hospital in Borivli. In cases that are not critical but do require a hospital visit, people would like to travel via buses if they are available, as private transport is not available or affordable for all to use.” She added, “MBMT buses are already low in number in our area, and route 8 is an important one. Bus connectivity is something that is not a want for us locals; it is a need.”
Rossi D’Souza, along with other locals, has been trying to revive the bus route for the past three years, but all attempts have been unsuccessful due to the same reason: lack of space. He added, “As a taxpayer, it is my right to have proper public transport connectivity. Many patients from Uttan travel daily to Karuna Hospital for treatment. Even students, housemaids, and working people will greatly benefit from having a reliable public bus service.” Though the route has proper infrastructure, including bus stops, the narrow roads and lack of parking and U-turn space pose problems, and authorities have not come up with a solution. mid-day contacted MBMT officials to understand their perspective, but received no reply by press time.
