Mumbai News: BEST Rejects Demand For Feeder Buses To Aarey JVLR Metro Station, Cites Low Ridership

A demand for two dedicated feeder bus routes connecting Goregaon East and Jogeshwari East to the Aarey JVLR Metro Station has been turned down by the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) administration, citing existing connectivity and low current patronage at the Aarey station on Metro Aqua Line 3.

The Watchdog Foundation, a commuter rights group, had written to BEST on July 3, requesting the introduction of two feeder routes to serve daily travelers using the newly operational Aqua Line. The proposed routes included Goregaon East Railway Station (Oberoi Mall) to Aarey JVLR Metro Station and Jogeshwari East Railway Station to Aarey JVLR Metro Station.

Both were requested to run at a peak frequency of 7–10 minutes.

In its formal response on July 8, BEST stated that it is already operating 13 routes that pass via Aarey JVLR, including connections to Andheri East (Agarkar Chowk), Jogeshwari East, and the Oberoi Mall/Virwani Estate area. Among them, routes like A-403, A-496, 545 Ltd., 425, A-464, and A-469 already serve the broader locality, BEST argued, and the current demand at Aarey Metro Station does not justify the addition of new feeder routes.

"Considering the availability of the above-mentioned routes and the present patronage to Aqua Line 3 at Aarey JVLR Station, it is not viable to operate an additional feeder route," the BEST administration stated in its reply.

However, the Watchdog Foundation says the current routes are inadequate for the specific last-mile connectivity required. “The absence of a dedicated feeder bus from Goregaon East or Jogeshwari East railway stations to Aarey JVLR Metro Station forces commuters to depend on autorickshaws, often costing more than ₹100 per trip — a steep price for many,” the Watchdog Foundation stated in its July 3 email sent to the BEST administration.

The Aqua Line, which began operations in October 2024, connects Aarey JVLR to the Bandra-Kurla Complex and Worli and is considered a vital north-south corridor. As part of its ongoing strategy, BEST has been introducing feeder services to improve first- and last-mile connectivity for metro commuters. But in this case, it appears the ridership numbers at Aarey JVLR aren’t strong enough yet to justify new routes, stated one of the trustees of the Watchdog Foundation.

Commuter groups argue that a lack of feeder services may itself be suppressing metro usage at Aarey JVLR. “This is a chicken-and-egg problem,” said a daily commuter from Jogeshwari East. “Without affordable access to the metro station, people are discouraged from using the line — and then authorities point to low patronage to deny better services.”