Navi Mumbai: The Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) has restored its bus operations to Uran following a nine-month suspension. The service recommenced on Wednesday, fulfilling the repeated requests from various community organisations, institutions, and residents. NMMT has been the preferred mode of transport for safe travel between the coastal town of Uran and Navi Mumbai. Following a tragic incident at Khopte in Uran in February, NMMT indefinitely suspended its services, citing staff safety concerns and route unprofitability.
The bus service suspension significantly impacted Uran residents, particularly affecting elderly people, women, students, and workers due to limited public transport alternatives. Passengers were compelled to use unreliable private transport services, resulting in increased travel time and costs for Urankars. The service restoration has brought relief and joy to the community.
NMMT completely discontinued routes 30, 31, and 34 connecting Uran to Koparkhairane, Juinagar Railway Station, and Kalamboli respectively. Whilst trains provided an alternative, the Uran to Belapur and Nerul routes operated only hourly from Uran railway station. This created lengthy waiting periods for passengers travelling to Navi Mumbai and Mumbai.
Additionally, commuters faced extra expenses for rickshaw transport from Uran city to the railway station. NMMT buses previously provided convenient access through the city and surrounding villages. “The service suspension caused significant inconvenience, leading to persistent demands from Uran residents for its swift resumption,” said Sudhakar Patil of Uran Samajik Sanstha.
Various organisations, including the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Congress, Janavadi Mahila Sangha, Uran Social Society, Jeshta Nagar Sanstha, and Morning Joggers Group, advocated for the service restoration. “The NMMT bus service, which has been running in Uran taluka for many years, was suddenly stopped from February 22, 2024. Various social organisations and organisations in Uran taluka requested the NMMT administration to start the bus service immediately. We are happy that NMMT has acknowledged our demand,” said activist Santosh Pawar.
“The bus service has been started on the insistence of various social organisations, students, and senior citizens. We stopped plying on this route considering the safety of our staff who were beaten up by the mob after the fatal accident in February. This will largely benefit the students, industrial workforce, women, and elderly people most,” said Yogesh Kaduskar, general manager of NMMT.