Extra BEST buses deployed as Western Railway enforces 9.5-hour night block between Mahim and Bandra, April 11–13 | Photo: Representative Image
Mumbai: In view of a major 9.5-hour night block scheduled by Western Railway between Mahim and Bandra stations on April 11/12 and 12/13, 2025, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking has announced the deployment of additional buses to manage the expected surge in commuter traffic.
The block, scheduled from 11:00 pm to 8:30 am on both nights, is being carried out to facilitate critical regirdering work on the bridge over the Mithi River. During this period, suburban train services on the slow line between Dadar and Bandra will be suspended, while services on the fast line will be significantly curtailed.
In total, 127 local train services and 60 partial services are expected to be affected on the night of April 11 and morning of April 12. The disruption will intensify on the second night, with 150 local services and 90 partial ones cancelled between April 12 and 13.
Anticipating heavy commuter build-up, particularly at key short-termination stations such as Andheri, Dadar, Bandra, and Borivali, city transport authorities have swung into action. BEST will operate additional bus services on multiple routes in the affected sections, supplementing its regular fleet.
To bridge the rail gap during block hours, the BEST has drawn up two dedicated plans. The first plan covers night operations on April 11–12 and April 12–13. During these nights, six additional buses will operate between Khodadad Circle and Andheri Station, as well as between Santacruz and Dadar.
The second plan focuses on morning operations on April 12 and 13. On these mornings, eighteen extra buses will be deployed on various routes, including Khodadad Circle to Andheri Station, Santacruz Depot to Dadar and Colaba Bus Station, Bandra to Dindoshi, Gorai to Mahim, and Goregaon to Worli Depot.
Additionally, extra bus services will be run between Dadar and Andheri stations via S.V. Road in close coordination with railway authorities to cater to stranded commuters.
Transport department officials from South, Eastern, and Western zones of BEST have been instructed to ensure full deployment of buses on critical connecting routes. Senior officers and inspectors will be stationed at major hubs like Bandra, Mahim, Dadar, and Andheri to supervise and streamline bus operations.
Regular all-night BEST services and pre-scheduled late-night to early-morning trips will also continue as planned.
“Authorities are advising commuters using the Western Line during the affected dates to plan their travel in advance and make use of the supplementary bus services to avoid inconvenience” read the statement issued by BEST on Thursday.
