Mumbai: For thousands of daily commuters travelling through Sion, Friday marked the end of a long and often frustrating journey. With the reopening of the overbridge near Rani Laxmibai Chowk after more than a year of repair work, BEST buses have finally resumed their original routes, restoring a key transport link between Sion East and West.
The move has been welcomed by commuters who endured lengthy diversions, traffic congestion and increased travel times since the bridge was shut for repairs on June 30, 2024. Acting on directions from the traffic police, BEST announced that several bus services operating through the corridor have returned to their regular alignments.
“The long-term closure forced major bus diversions through secondary corridors, significantly impacting daily travel times and creating major traffic bottlenecks across Dharavi , Kalanagar and LBS Marg,” said commuter Vijay Naidu. For many passengers, the diversions meant not only longer journeys but also multiple bus changes to reach destinations on the opposite side of Sion.
Among the routes restored to their original itineraries are A-7, 11 Ltd., A-22, 29 Ltd., 181, 255 Ltd., C-305, A-312, 341, 348 Ltd., A-357, A-376, 411 and C-505. Officials have advised commuters to check local bus stop notices and updated schedules as normal operations gradually stabilise across the network. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Mumbai | Silver Rate in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai | Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Petrol Price in Mumbai | Diesel Price in Mumbai | CNG Price in Mumbai | LPG Price in Mumbai Stay updated with the latest Mumbai news.
Another commuter, Atul Mhatre, said the reopening has significantly reduced travel time. Now we save at least half an hour while travelling from Sion East to West,” he said. “With buses being diverted away from the Sion Hospital area and Matunga Labour Camp, reaching our destination took much longer. BEST officials were unavailable for clarification on the route. Download the TOI App.
At bus stops near Rani Laxmibai Chowk, Everard Nagar and Tilak Hospital on Friday, commuters were seen boarding buses that had resumed normal operations. Some passengers from Pratiksha Nagar, however, expressed confusion over the absence of a bus service to Kumbharwada on Friday.