Mumbai: The annual Mahalakshmi Yatra is set to take place from October 3 to October 11, 2024, in Mumbai, drawing thousands of devotees to the revered Mahalakshmi Temple. In anticipation of the significant influx of visitors, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking will implement special bus services, facilitating easy access from various suburbs and key railway stations.

During this period, the BEST will enhance its existing bus routes serving the Mahalakshmi Temple area, ensuring that sufficient transportation is available to accommodate the anticipated surge in devotees. The majority of attendees typically travel by suburban trains to either Byculla or Mahalakshmi railway stations before transferring to BEST buses for the final segment of their journey to the temple.

To ensure smooth operations, the BEST will deploy additional buses specifically between Byculla Station, Mahalakshmi Station, and the Mahalakshmi Temple. The administration has announced that a total of 23 extra buses will be operational daily throughout the Yatra.

Furthermore, during peak hours of the nine-day Navratri festival, special bus services will also run from Prabodhankar Thackeray Udyan (Sewri) to Mahalakshmi Temple, traversing through Lalbaug, Chinchpokli, and Mahalaxmi Railway Station.

In light of the expanded services required for the Mahalakshmi Yatra, temporary appointments of bus inspectors and traffic officers from nearby depots will be made to oversee operations and ensure everything runs smoothly.