After two years of deliberations, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has diluted its plans of building a bus rapid transit system (BRTS) to carving dedicated bus lanes on three routes.

The first stretch of the bus lanes would be carved out on Eastern and Western Express Highways -- from Bandra (East) to Dahisar (East) and Sion to Mulund, respectively -- as well as Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR), MMRDA officials said.

A feasibility report, being prepared by Consulting Engineering Services, on creating the dedicated bus lanes will be ready shortly. Thereafter the final layout plan will be presented to the state-appointed committee to implement dedicated bus lanes.
“Dedicated bus lanes will prove to be a boon in the peak hours as these lanes will be free of traffic, paving way for a smooth ride. Moreover, the move will encourage people to use this mode of public transport thereby effectively minimizing pollution resulting from the massive number of private vehicles,” said Ratnakar Gaikwad, metropolitan commissioner, MMRDA.

Expressing dismay, Sudhir Badami, member of steering committee on BRTS for Mumbai, said that the state was confusing BRTS with just creating dedicated lanes for buses.
“The BRTS will be successful and the ‘dedicated bus lane’ will cause greatest damage to BRTS concept by increasing congestion on the dedicated lane itself. This will be self defeating.  The BRTS  will provide world class,  quick economical  solutions to Mumbai’s  escalating traffic  problems simultaneously addressing  4000 railway  track crossing  accidents  annually,” said Badami, who was also member of core group for preparing pre-bid feasibility report on BRTS  for Mumbai.