Mumbai News: Public Protest At Wadala Depot On July 4 To Save BEST Bus Services
In response to growing concerns over the declining state of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus services, a public movement will be organized at the Wadala Bus Depot on Friday, July 4, at 3 pm. The demonstration is being jointly organized by the civic platform 'Aamchi Mumbai Aamchi BEST' and over a dozen civic organizations and NGOs in the city, including Joint Action Against the Fare Hike and to Save BEST, Purogami Mahila Sanghatana, Lokraj Sanghatana, Naujawan Bharat Sabha, Jan Hak Sangharsh Samiti, Nagari Niwara Vichar Manch, Humanist Centre, HALWA, Loktantrik Kamgar Union, Nivrut Kamgar Sanghatan, and Mulbhut Adhikar Sangharsh Samiti.
'Aamchi Mumbai Aamchi BEST' is a citizen movement in Mumbai advocating for the preservation and improvement of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus service — a vital part of the city’s public transportation network. The slogan translates to "Our Mumbai, Our BEST," highlighting the public's ownership of and reliance on this service.
According to an active member of the movement, thousands of commuters, activists, students, and local residents are expected to gather to demand urgent reforms and reinvestment in Mumbai’s once-reliable bus network — long considered the backbone of the city's mobility.
“BEST is not a business; it is a vital public service,” said a volunteer of Aamchi Mumbai Aamchi BEST. “What we are witnessing is a systematic attempt to cripple it through fare hikes, service cuts, and privatisation — all at the cost of the common Mumbaikar.”
Falling Standards, Rising Costs
The protest comes amid mounting frustration over increasing fares and deteriorating services. According to campaigners, BEST’s daily ridership has dropped from nearly 30 lakh to just 20–23 lakh in recent years — a decline largely attributed to fare hikes and declining service quality.
"Despite higher fares boosting revenues, commuters report fewer buses on the roads, longer wait times, and more overcrowded, unsafe journeys. Activists also highlight a rise in breakdowns, fires, and accidents, many involving buses operated by private contractors," said one campaigner.
He added that many of the buses run under the wet lease system are poorly maintained and operated by drivers who are underpaid, overworked, and inadequately trained.
Public Assets Under Threat
Protesters are also raising the alarm over the alleged sale of BEST depot lands — valuable public assets — for private real estate development. They argue that this reflects a broader effort to undermine the public transport system and open it up to corporate profiteering.
“The government is spending crores on coastal roads and expressways for car owners, but there are no funds to maintain affordable public buses,” said another member of Aamchi Mumbai Aamchi BEST. “The priorities are clear — and they do not favour the common people of Mumbai.”
Mumbaikars Demand Restoration
The protest organisers are calling for a complete reversal of current policies — particularly the wet lease system. They are demanding that the government reinvest in BEST as a publicly owned, non-profit service.
“If we allow BEST to be dismantled, we risk collapsing the very system that keeps this city moving. We will not be silent. We will resist.”
According to Aamchi Mumbai Aamchi BEST, this is not just a transport crisis — it is a crisis of equity and the fundamental rights of Mumbaikars. When the buses stop, the city’s daily rhythm is thrown into chaos: workers are late to their jobs, students are forced to miss their classes, and senior citizens lose access to essential services.
“Every Mumbaikar deserves a safe, dignified, and dependable mode of travel,” said one organiser. “The privatisation of public transport puts corporate profits above public needs — and we cannot allow this to continue.”
The group is also demanding an immediate halt the process of sale of bus depot lands, the restoration of cancelled long-distance routes, and the rebuilding of BEST with public investment — not through private outsourcing. “This is a call to action — to students, workers, senior citizens, unions, activists, and every citizen who believes that the right to mobility is the right to dignity. Together, we can reclaim BEST for the people. Together, we can build a city where public services serve the public — not private interests. The fight for BEST is the fight for Mumbaikars. Let us stand united, and let our voices be heard,” stated an active member of Aamchi Mumbai Aamchi BEST.
Key Demands
Reverse the fare hike immediately.
Increase the BEST fleet by purchasing own buses.
Restart long routes.
End the wet lease system.
Introduce bus priority lanes on all major roads.
Stop monetizing BEST bus depot lands.
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