22 June,2026 09:29 AM IST | Mumbai | Sarthak Mehta
NEET-UG aspirants reach the examination centres. PICS/SARTHAK MEHTA
As the strike called by the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) entered its third day on Sunday, mid-day visited the city's four NEET re-examination centres to know about the challenges that th candidates and their guardians faced navigating the city to reach exam centres.
Exam centre: PM Shri Kendriya Vidyalaya INS Hamla
Location: Malad West
Nearest railway station: Malad (7 km)
Nearest Metro station: Valani-Meeth Chowky Metro (5.6 km)
Nearest bus stand: Kendriya Vidyalaya (270 metres)
Auto-rickshaw charges from railway station: Rs 120 minimum
BEST bus charges from railway station: Rs 15 per person
Salman Javed Shaik, 17, Bandra resident
âI have accompanied my sister here for her exam. I was aware of the special MSRTC buses, but I couldn't find any schedule related to this announcement, ultimately forcing us to take an auto from Malad railway station.'
Mrityunjay Pal, 38, Bhayandar resident
âWe had to take an auto from Malad station, which cost us Rs 132. A bus ticket would have cost me just Rs 15-20.'
Rashmi Maharana, 35, Kurla resident
âWe didn't notice any public city buses on our way here. I wasn't even aware that there had been special bus arrangements for us. I thought there would be no buses because of the strike, so we took the train and then the auto.'
Neeta Mahadik, 44, Andheri West resident
âI have brought my daughter here for her NEET re-exam. We came to Malad railway station by train but found no buses at all and had to take an auto. Getting an auto was so hectic, and it cost us around Rs 150, but I also wonder - can every parent afford private transport? Secondly, this exam centre here is so secluded; we came here by 11 am, and I have to wait back for my daughter till 5.15 pm. There is a lack of basic arrangements. The least they [authorities] could have done was to arrange water for the parents who stayed back in this weather.'
Anxious parents wait outside the exam centres
Exam Centre: TP Bhatia College
Location: Kandivli West
Nearest railway station: Kandivli (850 metres)
Nearest Metro station: Dhanukarwadi (1.7 km)
Nearest bus stand: Balbharti (300 metres)
Auto-rickshaw charges from railway station: Rs 26 minimum
BEST bus charges from railway station: Rs 10 per person
Sonam Brijmohan Patel, 22, Goregaon resident
âWe came here from Santosh Nagar in Goregaon East. We couldn't find any BEST buses in Goregaon and Kandivli, as they are on strike. We had to take a taxi till Goregaon station and then a train till Kandivli, and then we walked from there.'
Om Prakash Vaishya, 52, Chembur resident
âI came by a cab, as taking a train meant three line changes and then taking an auto because of the BEST strike. It cost me around Rs 500. I took a cab, and it dropped us here in half an hour. At the same time, if someone took the public transport way, it would have taken them about 1.5-2.5 hours.'
Thakur College in Kandivli East
Exam centre: Thakur College
Location: Kandivli East
Nearest railway station: Kandivli station (2.5 km)
Nearest Metro station: Poisar Metro (1.3 km)
Nearest bus stand: Thakur College bus stand (150 metres)
Auto-rickshaw charges from railway station: Rs 43 minimum
BEST bus charges from railway station: Rs 12 per person
Shakir Ansari, 47, Govandi resident
âI would have taken a direct bus on the 458 route if it had not been for the strike. I would have saved money and Metro-change hassles as well. I paid Rs 300 for one side; I would have paid 90 otherwise.'
PM Shri Kendriya Vidyalaya INS Hamla in Malad West
Vaishali Borse, 50, Chembur resident
âThis strike is forcing citizens to either walk, which is time-consuming, or take an auto, which is costly. I left Chembur around 9 am and reached here by 11 am. I saw no buses at Kandivli station, so we quickly took an auto and reached here without wasting time.'
Vijay Gawade, MSRTC bus driver. PICS/SARTHAK MEHTA
The BEST had announced alternative arrangements on Saturday in view of the Sunday's NEET re-examination amid the ongoing strike by its worker unions. mid-day noticed multiple MSRTC buses making rounds near one exam centre - KV INS Hamla. One of the drivers, Vijay Gawade, 36, shared, "My usual duty is at Borivli depot. Today, I have been assigned special duty here on the Sainath Marg in Malad West to Madh Jetty route. We are running multiple buses on this route to cater for the NEET students. We started trips at 7.30 am, and we will operate till 6 pm. Overall, around 70 MSRTC buses have come to Mumbai city from the Raigarh division."
