Heavy Rain Disrupts Thane Bus Services as MSRTC Cancels Over 7,800 Trips
Heavy rainfall and severe waterlogging disrupted public bus services across the Thane division and neighboring areas on Monday, forcing the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) to cancel thousands of scheduled trips. The severe weather conditions over the preceding two days led to widespread travel disruptions for thousands of daily commuters in the region.
According to MSRTC officials, the transport body cancelled 7,820 bus trips over the two-day period. The massive scale of cancellations resulted in an estimated revenue loss of ₹2.3 crore for the state-run corporation.
Incessant rain and flooded roads forced the suspension of bus services on several key routes. While the Thane division experienced significant disruptions, the impact was felt across multiple divisions, including Mumbai, Raigad, Palghar, and Pune. Officials noted that the Mumbai–Pune bus corridor was among the worst affected, while the Palghar division witnessed the maximum disruption due to widespread waterlogging and poor road conditions.
The adverse weather also impacted the administrative operations of the transport corporation. Heavy rainfall delayed the arrival of staff members at the MSRTC headquarters in Mumbai Central, which temporarily affected the timely compilation of operational data from various divisions. In response to the crisis, MSRTC activated a control room to monitor the evolving situation and coordinate services across the affected regions.
Meanwhile, municipal bus services in neighboring Mumbai were also heavily crippled. The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking was forced to divert 98 bus routes due to waterlogging, uprooted trees, fallen chambers, and other road obstructions.
Major disruptions to BEST services were reported at several locations, including Andheri Subway, Malad Subway, Vidyavihar, Bhandup, Goregaon, Colaba, and Mazgaon. Buses in these areas operated through alternate routes until municipal workers could clear the roads.
In addition to route diversions, BEST reported significant fleet issues on Monday. A total of 135 buses developed monsoon-related technical faults, such as starting trouble and wiper defects, while seven buses suffered complete breakdowns during the day.
MSRTC and BEST officials stated that restoration work continued throughout Monday, with services gradually normalising as road conditions improved. Both transport undertakings advised passengers to check the latest service status with their nearest depot before commencing their journeys.
