The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking on Thursday announced that its non-air-conditioned bus route 39, which previously operated between Veer Kotwal Udyan (Plaza) and Marol Depot, has now been converted into an air-conditioned service numbered A-39 and extended further to Majas Depot. The change came into effect on June 20, 2025, and was officially announced on BEST's X (formerly Twitter) handle.
However, the decision has triggered a wave of criticism and debate on social media, particularly among regular commuters and transport enthusiasts. Responding to the announcement, X user Rupak Dhakate questioned the rationale behind extending almost all routes eastward to Majas while ignoring the possibility of reverse extensions. In his post, he asked why BEST was not considering routing the service back to Comrade P. K. Kurne Chowk, noting that apart from route 35—which takes a longer airport path—there were no fast options available for commuters traveling between Dadar West and areas like Santacruz and Andheri East. He also pointed out that even route 2Ltd had been curtailed recently.
Other users echoed his concerns, expressing frustration over the declining connectivity in the southbound direction from Dadar towards Worli and surrounding areas. One user, Shahnawaz Ansari, supported the extension to Majas but suggested that BEST should also extend the route in the opposite direction, from Veer Kotwal Udyan to Wadala Depot. He argued that such a move could help fill the void left by low-frequency or temporarily suspended routes like C1, 4Ltd, 200, and 212.
Another commuter agreed with this suggestion, recalling that the original version of the route once terminated at J Mehta Road. He proposed extending the service up to Wadala, but only if the route included stops at Naigaon and Sharda Cinema before reaching Khodadad Circle. According to him, failing to do so would limit the usefulness of the proposed extension.
Joining the debate, X user Mandar Andrulekar urged BEST to reconsider the strategy of pushing all route extensions towards the eastern suburbs. He acknowledged the importance of Majas Depot as a charging point for electric buses but emphasized the need to maintain robust connectivity to areas like Worli, suggesting that BEST think about extending route A-39 back to Com. P. K. Kurne Chowk.
Meanwhile, a regular commuter raised concerns about the abruptness of the route change, questioning why it was implemented so soon after another major network update just twenty days ago. Addressing the confusion, a BEST official clarified that the news changes were not part of the earlier modifications. The official further added that the this decision was taken purely in the interest of commuter convenience.
