BEST’s tall AC double-decker bus

Commuters at the Bandra-Kurla bus stops have felt disappointed since last week due to the introduction of the new, stylish AC electric double-decker bus. This disappointment stems from its inability to reach Kurla station, Bandra station, or the original 310 bus route terminus, caused by its height and technical limitations. Consequently, the BEST has been compelled to operate two types of buses for the same route. The new AC double-decker bus stands at a height of 4.75 m, surpassing the older non-AC bus fleet’s 4.38m, leading to difficulties navigating the SCLR.

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“Is the BEST team grasping the situation? It appears to be a patch-up attempt to salvage their reputation after blunders with the new AC double-decker. An AC minibus on a new route—LBS Marg, Belgrami Road, Gol Building, Bharat Talkies, New Mill Road, and Surve Chowk at LBS-BKC junction—could be the solution,” suggested Kurla resident and businessman Jitendra Gupta of Citizens' Transport Committee.

Buddha Colony junction

Traffic officials at Kurla explained the situation. “The SCLR arms from Kalina and BKC converge at this juncture, passing beneath the New Mill (Halav) bridge and continuing towards LTT, Chembur, and the eastern express highway. Introducing a signal or breach here would cause endless queues, halting traffic from various directions and leading to congestion in its lanes. We had closed this point with great difficulty, and reopening it for one bus isn't feasible, especially with the established Metro Line 2B work and pillars in place,” said a local traffic official. However, BEST officials mentioned their intent to await the traffic police response before making any decisions.

4.75m
Height of the new AC double-decker bus