21 August,2026 06:36 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
The depots could feature workshops, parking, commercial spaces, housing and electric bus infrastructure. Representational Pic
Mumbai's BEST bus depots could take on a new role beyond parking and maintaining buses, with plans to redevelop 22 depots into multi-use transport hubs combining public transport, electric mobility, passenger facilities and commercial spaces.
The redevelopment is part of BEST's Rs 28,000-crore transformation plan, which proposes using the public-private partnership (PPP) model to unlock the potential of its depot land while generating revenue to strengthen the undertaking's finances and expand its bus fleet.
Under the plan, the depots could feature modern workshops, public parking, commercial and mixed-use spaces, employee housing, digital facilities and infrastructure for electric buses.
The approach is similar to transport hubs developed in cities such as Singapore and Hong Kong, where bus interchanges are integrated with other modes of transport as well as shops, offices and public amenities.
Singapore has developed integrated transport hubs for more than two decades, with newer facilities offering air-conditioned waiting areas, real-time travel information, family washrooms, baby-care rooms, bicycle parking and facilities for senior citizens and persons with disabilities.
Hong Kong has adopted a 'single site, multiple use' approach, combining public transport facilities with commercial spaces and passenger amenities. Its electric vehicle roadmap also provides for charging infrastructure at new public transport interchanges and bus terminals.
Mumbai's proposed model would not be the first such experiment in India. Ahmedabad's Geeta Mandir bus terminal was redeveloped through the PPP model, combining improved passenger facilities with commercial space.
The proposed redevelopment of BEST infrastructure in Dharavi could provide an early example of how the concept may take shape in Mumbai.
The existing BEST depot occupies around 11.58 acres. Under the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP), it is proposed to be replaced by two modern multi-storey bus depots with infrastructure for electric buses and EV charging.
The proposal comes as the Maharashtra government pushes for greater adoption of electric buses and cleaner public transport in Mumbai.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has previously said the Dharavi redevelopment would draw from models followed in Singapore and Hong Kong, with modern infrastructure planned alongside homes, workplaces and public facilities.
An ANDPL official said the proposed depots would serve a purpose beyond supporting electric buses.
"The importance of the two depots goes beyond electrification. Dharavi is being planned as a dense mixed-use neighbourhood where homes, workplaces, commercial areas, schools, healthcare and other public facilities will be located closer together. Good connectivity and efficient public transport will need to keep pace with that change," the ANDPL official stated.
Dharavi is located between major suburban railway corridors and close to the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC). The Metro network in and around the area is also expanding, while a proposed Multi-Modal Transport Hub (MMTH) is expected to bring different modes of transport together.
"Like Singapore and Hong Kong, Dharavi is being redeveloped in a manner where homes and workplaces are built around good public transport rather than transport being added later," the official added.
