Wednesday, October 7, 2009

NMMT’S AC Volvo buses –a refreshing change to the old dilapidated buses

In what could be called a historical achievement for NMMT, the transport body started AC bus services on the Belapur-Bandra route. To get a feel of this bus and know the response of the commuters, Sana Warsia traveled from this new bus to Bandra. And what they received was an overwhelming response with the commuters saying that NMMT’s AC bus service was definitely the best.

As passenger comfort becomes an ever-higher priority, Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport commenced its air-conditioned bus services between Navi Mumbai and Bandra. Despite facing stiff resistance from the BEST for starting air-conditioned bus services on the Belapur-Bandra route, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport under the visionary guidance of Thane Guardian Minister Ganesh Naik and leadership of NMMC Standing Committee Chairman Sandeep Naik, introduced the additional service, which is not just turning out to be a profitable route for them but also a cool ride for the commuters. To know how cool this ride was we traveled from Vashi to Bandra.

While we were sweating out in the heat, the moment the 501 Belapur to Bandra bus arrived and its door slid open, we were welcomed with a waft of cool air. Red and low-floored, the bus looked as sleek as ever. Once inside, it was as cool as a Rajdhani Express while the ticket fair very un-Rajdhani. We had to pay just Rs 30 from Vashi and usually those traveling from Belapur have to pay Rs 45. The scene inside was that of wide aisle, really large windows and plush seats. There was an emergency exit, a first aid kit, yellow painted handles and carpeted floor. Mumbai and its dust clouds swirled past outside the window making us feel like a tourist who was sightseeing around Incredible India in an air-conditioned bubble. No dust getting into our ears, no strange sweat dripping onto our arms and no smelly body odours assaulting our nostrils, what’s more, soothing music played out of the deck. Even when the bus stopped to pick up passengers, there was no jhatkas or jerks, with all looking chilled out as if they had found nirvana.

Like the commuters, we were in awe of the bus service provided by NMMT. The transport body procured the buses under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission after many passengers had requested them to start bus services connecting the satellite city to Mumbai. Later, the bus was running over the famous Bandra bridge, the sea looking blue and the air feeling clean. Soon, the door slid open at Bandra railway station. We were out of the bus in the heat and grime of incredible Mumbai and with distress, wondered why did Bandra come so soon?
NMTV News

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