Mumbai commute gets smoother: Hybrid buses to BKC to start plying in a fortnight

Mumbai city news: The bus service will be operated between Bandra, Kurla and Sion suburban railway stations from BKC for commuter convenience.

Office-goers travelling to Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) from Bandra, Sion and Kurla railway stations may soon travel more comfortably to their workplaces in air-conditioned buses. The hybrid buses that the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is planning to introduce are expected to hit the streets in mid-July.

Although the plan to ply eco-friendly buses in BKC was conceived in early 2013, it was delayed by four years owing to various issues. (HT Photo)

Although the plan to ply eco-friendly buses in BKC was conceived in early 2013, it was delayed by four years owing to issues with overall structure of the plan, and operations and maintenance.

Read: Mumbai gets 25 new hybrid buses

“We are expecting the delivery of first five of the 25 hybrid buses to arrive by this weekend. We will handover the buses to Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking to operate,” said Pravin Darade, additional metropolitan commissioner, MMRDA.

The bus service will be operated between Bandra, Kurla and Sion suburban railway stations from BKC for commuter convenience.

The minimum fare will be Rs15 and maximum fare will be Rs25.

Read: Mumbai: Technical issues delay BKC hybrid bus service

Purchased from M/s. Tata Motors Ltd., each bus, which cost Rs1.61 crore, is an air-conditioned 32-seater electric/hybrid series bus.

The buses have been purchased under the initiative taken by MMRDA to promote clean fuel and supported by the policy ‘FAME 2015’ which is about promoting electric transport under National Electric Mobility Mission 2020.