BEST To Lead Mumbai Metropolitan’s Integrated Bus Transport Overhaul, Streamline Routes, Eliminate Overlaps

To overhaul the fragmented public transport network across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking has put forward a proposal to spearhead the creation of an integrated bus system, The Free Press Journal reported.

The initiative was floated by BEST General Manager SVR Srinivas during a recent meeting of a newly formed transport task force.

Responding to concerns over BEST’s ability to lead such a wide-ranging effort given its own capacity challenges—Srinivas was quoted as saying, “By reducing duplication and boosting operational efficiency, BEST can lead the integrated bus system in the MMR.”

This proposal follows a Government Resolution issued on 10 June by the Urban Development Department, which constituted a 12 member task force.

Chaired by Srinivas, the group includes representatives from MMRDA, BMC, traffic police, and various municipal corporations such as Thane, Navi Mumbai, and Vasai-Virar.

The committee's brief is to design a region-wide transport integration plan, including a unified ticketing system and a coordinated bus route strategy.

At present, MMR lacks a central authority overseeing public transport, resulting in multiple civic bodies running overlapping routes, confusing for commuters and inefficient for operators.

Officials emphasised that BEST’s proposed model envisions the agency managing high-density arterial routes, while local civic operators handle feeder services within smaller zones.

“Streamlining routes will not only eliminate overlap but also ensure a more reliable and accessible transport system for commuters,” an official involved in the plan explained.

Although BEST is currently operating with fewer than 2,700 buses, the move is part of the broader G-HUB initiative under NITI Aayog, which identifies MMR as a key pilot region for infrastructure-driven growth.

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