Mumbai: Residents of Girgaum have renewed their demand for the restoration of BEST bus services on Jagannath Shankarshet Road, following the completion of Metro Line 3-related construction work and the inauguration of the Girgaum and Kalbadevi Metro stations.Several key BEST bus routes, including 66, 69, 86, 88 and 126, were earlier operated via Jagannath Shankarshet Road, providing a vital public transport link for commuters travelling to south Mumbai. However, with extensive digging and roadworks undertaken for the construction of Metro Line 3 and the two underground stations, these bus services were diverted through Maharishi Karve Road as a temporary arrangement.According to local Shiv Sena functionary Dilip Naik, who serves as Vibhag Pramukh, the road restoration work on Jagannath Shankarshet Road was completed last year after the Metro project reached a major milestone and the stations were opened to the public. Despite the completion of the work, the diverted bus routes have not yet been restored to their original alignment on the southbound side of the road. “Some bus stops are still in good condition. And wherever bus stops have been damaged, one can just put a bus pole with stop numbers,” he suggested.A senior officer from BEST traffic division said that the request will be looked into in the larger interest of commuters and services will be restored soon.Naik said that the continued diversion has caused considerable inconvenience to residents, especially senior citizens, students and daily commuters. For the past few years, many Girgaum residents have had to walk more than a kilometre to Maharishi Karve Road to board buses heading towards south Mumbai, adding to their travel time and hardship.He pointed out that bus stops along Jagannath Shankarshet Road once served a large residential population and played an important role in the area’s public transport network. With construction activity now over and normal traffic movement restored, there is no reason for the buses to continue operating on the diverted route, he said.Residents have urged the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking to immediately reinstate bus services on routes 66, 69, 86, 88 and 126 along Jagannath Shankarshet Road. They believe the move would greatly improve connectivity and ease commuting for thousands of citizens in the Girgaum and Kalbadevi areas.Ends
