Maharashtra Elections 2024: Disruption in Bus Services Across Mumbai and State Due to Polling Duty | Representational photo
Mumbai: The Bus services in Maharashtra, including Mumbai, has been severely impacted due to the deployment of a large number of buses for election duties. More than 20 percent of the buses operated by the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking and nearly 65 percent of the buses under the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) have been assigned to election duties for the two days -Tuesday and Wednesday. As a result, thousands of commuters are facing significant inconvenience, with reduced bus services across the state including Mumbai .
657 BEST Buses deployed for election duty
Mumbai is currently experiencing disruptions in its BEST bus services, as over 20% of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) fleet has been temporarily requisitioned for election-related duties. A total of 657 buses out of the 3,179 buses in the fleet have been diverted by authorities for two days — Tuesday and Wednesday — causing major inconvenience to daily passengers.
The disruption has led to long waiting times and overcrowded buses across the city, with some routes experiencing delays of over 45 minutes. Areas including Kalina, Wadala, Sion, Dharavi, Kurla, Ghatkopar, Mulund, Bandra East, Andheri, Kandivali, and Borivali have witnessed long queue at bus stops . In South Mumbai, similar scenes have unfolded with long queues forming at key locations such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT).
Ramesh Shirke, a commuter from Kalina, expressed frustration over the delay, saying, “I had to wait for more than half an hour at Air India colony for a bus to Kurla. The delay was unbearable.” Similarly, Vishal Chavan from Wadala shared his experience: “I waited over 45 minutes at Wadala for a bus to CSMT.”
In addition to the shortage of buses, several routes have been affected by police barricades and diversions due to polling booth arrangements. In Kurla, bus services on route 613 were suspended due to barricades near Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Chowk and Navpada. Routes 110 and 117 were also diverted due to the closure of Vidyalankar Road for polling booth setup.
A senior official from BEST confirmed that 657 buses had been requisitioned to assist with election-related transportation needs, though the election authorities had requested over 1,250 buses. The deployed fleet includes 230 single-decker buses (42-seat capacity), 427 midi buses (30-seat capacity), and 35 wheelchair-accessible electric buses to assist senior citizens and people with disabilities.
Additionally, BEST has been assisting with the transportation of police personnel, deploying around 28 buses since October 14th. The buses have been supporting election-related logistics, including the transportation of special forces.
The official assured that the situation would improve once election duties are completed, with the affected buses returning to their regular routes by Thursday. However, until then, commuters are expected to continue facing significant challenges due to the reduced number of buses in operation.
MSRTC bus services also disrupted across Maharashtra as over 9,200 buses deployed for election duty
Not only Mumbai but Maharashtra’s public transportation system is also facing widespread disruption, with over 9,200 buses from the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) being deployed for election-related duties on November 19 and 20. These buses will be used to transport election teams, materials, and equipment to polling stations, temporarily crippling regular bus services across the state.
Out of MSRTC’s total fleet of approximately 14,000 buses, nearly 65% — around 9,232 buses — have been reserved for election duties. As a result, commuters, particularly those in rural areas, are facing significant inconvenience. According to MSRTC officials, the buses deployed for election duty will return to regular service only after completing their tasks on Thursday, November 21.
MSRTC plays a vital role in connecting rural and urban Maharashtra, with its extensive network linking over 44,000 villages to district headquarters, major cities, hospitals, markets, and other key locations. On an average day, about 55 lakh passengers rely on MSRTC buses for their travel needs across the state.
The Pune division has been hit hardest by the election duty deployment, with over 600 buses being assigned to transport election-related personnel and materials. Other divisions like Nashik (500 buses), Solapur (490), and Ahmednagar (468) have also reserved large numbers of buses for the two-day election period. Districts like Satara, Kolhapur, and Nagpur have also seen significant bus reservations for election related task.
“While the election-related deployment of buses is essential to ensure smooth polling operations, it has caused a major disruption in regular bus services” said an official. According to sources, the temporary disruptions in services, especially in rural and remote areas, is forcing many commuters to find alternative transportation, including private vehicles.
MSRTC officials have assured that regular services will resume on November 21, after the two days of election duty. Until then, commuters are advised to plan their travel accordingly and explore alternative means of transport.
