Some of the best routes in South Mumbai saw a drop of up to 21% due to the full-scale launch of Metro Line 3

Some major BEST bus routes in South Mumbai saw a decline of up to 21% in ridership on the first day Full scale operation of Mumbai Metro Line-3 on October 9 between Cuffe Parade and Aarey JVLR, an official said on Friday.

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the final phase between Acharya Atre Chowk and Cuffe Parade, the 33.5 km long underground Line 3 became fully operational for the first time at 5:55 am on Thursday.

“BEST carried 24.14 lakh passengers on October 9 (Thursday), which was higher than the figures recorded in the previous three days. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, it was 24.13 lakh, 24.07 lakh and 24.08 lakh respectively,” an official said.

However, several routes running parallel to Metro Line-3, especially in south Mumbai, saw a 21% decline in ridership on October 9 compared to the previous day, he said.

Ridership on Route No. 103 (RC Church-Kamala Nehru Park) declined by 21% to 7,900 on Thursday from around 10,000 on Wednesday.

Similarly, the number of passengers on Route No. 115 (CSMT-Nariman Point) declined by 11% to 19,066 from 21,500; Route No. 135 (Backbay Depot-CSMT) saw a 9% decline from 16,700 to 15,300; and Route 66 (Ballard Pier-Sion) saw a 2.5% decline to 12,000. 11,700 passengers,” the official said.

BEST Bus routes 66, 100, 103, 115 and 138 are among the most congested routes in South Mumbai, especially during peak hours. Of these, routes 115 and 138 are operated by air-conditioned double-decker buses, while routes 66 and 100 are operated by non-AC midi buses. The official said non-AC regular buses also operate on Route 103.

He pointed out that Route No. 100, which operates between FPJ Marg and Eros Cinema at Churchgate, saw a 32% increase in ridership on October 9 despite the commencement of Metro Line-3 operations.

“1,966 passengers traveled on this route on Thursday, compared to 1,486 the previous day, although both its terminal points are close to Vidhan Bhawan and Churchgate metro stations on Line 3,” he said.

BEST undertakes to provide public bus services in Mumbai and surrounding areas. With a fleet of around 2,700 buses, it carries 25 lakh passengers every day.

According to Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC), more than 1.55 lakh passengers traveled on Mumbai Metro Line-3 on Thursday.

He said that till 9 pm on Friday night, movement of 1.59 lakh passengers was recorded on the corridor.

Metro Line 3 connects south Mumbai to the western suburbs through 27 underground stations. This corridor is expected to reduce traffic congestion and reduce travel time between major business districts, tourist centers and residential areas across the city.