BEST Resumes Bus Services from CSMT After 4-Day Halt Amid Maratha Quota Protests
Relief for Commuters as Partial Normalcy Returns to South Mumbai; Diversions Still in Effect
Mumbai | September 3, 2025: After four days of disruption caused by the ongoing Maratha reservation agitation, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking has resumed partial bus operations from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), bringing much-needed relief to thousands of daily commuters in South Mumbai.
Bus services had been suspended around the CSMT area due to mass blockades by Maratha protesters, led by activist Manoj Jarange. The protest had paralyzed much of South Mumbai, forcing office-goers to walk long distances to reach key commercial zones like Nariman Point, Colaba, and Backbay. On Tuesday, BEST officially restarted operations from Bhatia Baug near CSMT, with Route Nos. 138 and 115 back in service.
A BEST official confirmed the development, saying, “We have resumed services from Bhatia Baug outside CSMT. However, operations in the area are still partially affected due to remaining restrictions and diversions.”
Despite the resumption, full normalcy remains elusive. Police have maintained several traffic blockades near Azad Maidan, where the core of the agitation took place. Key roads including DN Road, Mahapalika Marg, and Hazarimal Somani Marg are still closed, prompting authorities to divert buses via Mahatma Phule Market, LT Marg, and Metro Junction toward Hutatma Chowk.
Traffic police sources indicated that both lanes of DN Road between JJ Flyover and Hutatma Chowk have now been opened, improving vehicular movement. Still, sections around the CSMT square continue to remain blocked due to the presence of protest vehicles and crowd spillover.
The restoration of bus services is seen as a step toward restoring civic life after the large-scale agitation crippled transport, affected business operations, and brought administrative zones near Mantralaya to a standstill.
While the protests continue to stir political ripples across the state, civic bodies and law enforcement agencies are gradually working to restore order in the city’s commercial heart.
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