Mumbai-Navi Mumbai travel via Atal Setu gets cheaper as NMMT cuts fare by over 50%

The fare for the Kharghar-Mantralaya route has dropped from ₹270 to ₹120, while the Nerul-Mantralaya fare has been reduced from ₹230 to ₹105

Navi Mumbai: Travelling between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai via the Atal Setu bridge has become significantly more affordable, with Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) slashing fares by over 50%. The revised fares, implemented last week, have already led to a sharp increase in passenger numbers on the routes.

An aerial view of Atal Setu. (Hindustan Times/Anshuman Poyrekar)

The fare for the Kharghar-Mantralaya route has dropped from ₹270 to ₹120, while the Nerul-Mantralaya fare has been reduced from ₹230 to ₹105.

“The reduction in fares has had an immediate impact, with the average number of passengers rising significantly. For route 116, passengers have increased from around 20 to 60, and for route 117, the count has surged from 20–25 to approximately 70,” said an NMMT official.

NMMT launched these two routes connecting Navi Mumbai and Mantralaya in September last year. However, the initial high fares deterred commuters, prompting the transport authority to reassess and lower the prices to attract more ridership.

The Atal Setu, India’s largest sea bridge, opened to the public in January, offering a faster 20-minute commute between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, free of the usual traffic congestion. The Mumbai Trans Harbour Link connects Mumbai with Uran, Panvel, and further to Goa and Pune.

Initially hesitant due to the high toll costs, NMMT began its air-conditioned bus service over the Atal Setu during Ganeshotsav last September. Two routes, 116 and 117, were introduced, operating Monday through Saturday, with travel times of approximately 100 and 115 minutes, respectively.

Route 116 runs from Nerul bus terminus (East) to Mantralaya via Kharkopar railway station in Ulwe, while route 117 begins at Jal Vayu Vihar in Kharghar and travels to Mantralaya via Panvel.

Despite the convenience, the high fares made the service unviable, with buses running nearly empty. “The reduced fares now make the service appealing,” said Shahjehan Chougule, a Taloja resident and regular commuter. “Earlier, it was too expensive, so many of us preferred the train, even though it was more crowded and slower.”

The bus routes

116 – Nerul Bus Depot to Mantralaya via Ulwe:

Stops include Nerul, Motha Ulwe Gaon, Prabhat Heights, Ramseth Thakur Stadium, Kharkopar railway station, and

117 – Kharghar Sector 35 to Mantralaya via Panvel:

Stops include Kharghar, Utsav Chowk, Asudgaon Depot Highway, Panvel Bus Terminus, Palaspe Phata, Karanjade Phata, Atal Setu, and Mantralaya.

Bus timings

Route 116:

Departs Nerul at 7:55 am. Return trip from Mantralaya to Nerul at 6:25 pm. Midday trips operate between Mantralaya and Kharkopar railway station in Ulwe, leaving Mantralaya at 9:45 am and departing Kharkopar at 5:20 pm.

- Route 117:

Departs Kharghar at 7:40 am. Return trip from Mantralaya to Kharghar at 6:15 pm.