Premium civic bus service between South Mumbai and Navi Mumbai via Atal Setu launched

Mumbai: Civic transport and electricity provider Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) on Wednesday launched an AC premium bus service between South Mumbai and adjoining Navi Mumbai via the Atal Setu, the country's longest sea bridge that was inaugurated two months ago.

The BEST undertaking, in a press release, said the premium buses on route No. S-145 will run between World Trade Centre in South Mumbai and CBD Belapur in Navi Mumbai daily.

Daily four buses -- two from CBD Belapur and an equal number from World Trade Centre -- will be operated on the route via the 22km-long Atal Setu (originally called Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link or MTHL) from Monday to Saturday, said the release.

For using this service, passengers will have to pay a minimum fare of Rs 50 and a maximum of Rs 225, it said.

Mumbai city Guardian Minister Deepak Kesarkar inaugurated the service at BEST headquarters in Colaba.

On the occasion, he also launched the transport undertaking's buses fitted with air purification systems on their rooftops.

As per the release, a total of 300 buses from five BEST depots are being fitted with air purification systems. Of these, 240 buses have already been fitted with the systems.

Earlier last month, Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (ST) launched its Shivneri bus service between Mumbai and Pune via MTHL, a 6-lane sea link, with 16.50 kilometre of the stretch on sea and 5.50 km on land.