Juhu Koliwada residents upset by bus stop relocation, allege builder’s hand

The issue has also sparked speculation among locals because the proposed relocation comes at a time when a new premium residential development, Vaswani Seascape, is being constructed adjacent to the bus stop

MUMBAI: One fine day, you walk to the bus stop you’ve used for years and discover that it’s set to disappear. That is, in the words of Juhu Koliwada residents, what is happening with the local bus stop where thousands have boarded and alighted from buses over the decades.

Juhu Koliwada residents upset by bus stop relocation, allege builder’s hand

On Tuesday, commuters were confronted with a BEST notice pasted at the bus stop that it was being relocated, and any objections had to be submitted to the Santacruz depot manager within 15 days. However, there was no mention of why the bus stop was being shifted or where it would be relocated.

“This bus stop has seen three generations of my family. My father used to take a bus from here to go to school and now my daughter uses it to take a bus to her classes,” said Anish Gawde, president of the Juhu Tara Koli Jamaat, which represents around 2,500 residents of the Koli community. “Hundreds of commuters depend on this stop—not just people from Koliwada, but also residents of Mangalwadi and Bhaiyawadi. You cannot suddenly put up a notice out of the blue and say the stop is being shifted somewhere else without any explanation.”

Gawde said the community would launch a mass campaign, both online and offline, to oppose the relocation and file formal objections to ensure that the bus stop stayed where it was.

The issue has also sparked speculation among locals because the proposed relocation comes at a time when a new premium residential development, Vaswani Seascape, is being constructed adjacent to the bus stop. Local community page Juhu Buzz questioned the timing of the move in a post on X. ‘It is only now, when a new building is being constructed behind the bus stop, that BEST has proposed shifting,’ the page admin alleged.

Residents say the lack of information is fuelling suspicion. “The biggest issue is that no reason has been given and there is no indication of where the stop is proposed to be shifted. Such a cryptic, one-line notice creates a lot of confusion,” said resident Nicky D’Souza.

Activist Zoru Bhathena also questioned the move. “If BEST exists to serve commuters, any relocation should not inconvenience passengers and must be backed by a clear public rationale,” he said.

Repeated calls and texts to BEST PRO Sucheta Utale on why the bus stop was being shifted and where went answered.