Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai

Mumbai, May 21: Mumbai’s public transport users were in for a rude shock this week as the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking began charging tolls from bus commuters travelling across the city’s limits. This move, coming barely weeks after bus fares were doubled, has sparked widespread criticism from daily travellers and commuter rights' groups alike.

The new toll surcharge, Rs 2 per ticket, has been quietly introduced on routes that cross toll booths—particularly on intercity buses such as the C-12 route from Dahisar to Santacruz, which passes through the Dahisar toll naka.

“This is a first in my life—being charged a toll for travelling in a public transport bus,” said a stunned Dinesh Patel, who boarded the C-12 recently. "It was always understood that public buses were exempt from such charges. What kind of logic is this?" he asked.

Rupal Kumari, another commuter on the same route, echoed the sentiment: “Private four-wheelers are exempt, and yet BEST, which is supposed to serve the public, is now levying tolls? It’s absurd!”

Earlier this month, the BEST undertaking had announced a major fare hike—nearly doubling the ticket prices of both AC and non-AC buses. This was met with backlash from the public, who considered BEST their most affordable mode of transportation. With the latest toll addition, many feel the undertaking is pricing itself out of reach for the average Mumbaikar.

Commuter advocacy group Aapli BEST Aaplya Sathi slammed the toll levy, calling it a “self-defeating move”.

“By burdening commuters like this, BEST is killing its own ridership. Many will now shift to autos or private vehicles, which will only worsen traffic congestion,” warned Rupesh Shelatkar, president of the group.

Aamchi BEST convener Vidyadhar Date questioned the logic behind the move: “On one hand, the government has made coastal road travel free for elite vehicle users, and on the other, it is taxing ordinary citizens who rely on BEST buses. This is deeply unjust.”

Sources in BEST say that since concessional fares were removed, the exemption from tolls no longer applies. “Earlier, we were not charging tolls because of the concessional fare model. Now that normal fare is in place, the toll has to be recovered from the passengers,” a senior official said.

The move has raised larger questions about the sustainability and public orientation of Mumbai’s iconic bus service. With fare hikes, cutbacks on routes, and now toll collection, the city’s working-class commuters feel they are being priced out of the system.

Commuter organisations have demanded immediate rollback of the toll component and urged the state government to step in with financial aid to BEST instead of passing the burden to the common man.

Until then, it appears the daily grind for Mumbai’s BEST passengers just got a little heavier.