BEST (Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport) will operate additional buses in Mumbai on November 15 and 16 for devotees of Chhath Puja. Special transport arrangements have been made so that thousands of devotees can travel to different religious places across the city conveniently on these two days for celebrations. As large crowds are expected at popular spots, extra buses would help passengers move around and ease pressure on normal public transport services.
Chhath Puja is one of the most important festivals devoted to the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya. It is celebrated with great devotion by communities from Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh and adjoining areas. Mumbai has a large number of people from these states, so every year there are big celebrations here too.
People gather near beaches, lakes, ponds, etc where water bodies have been designated for this purpose and perform traditional rituals as well as prayers to the setting and rising Sun. The main rituals of the festival will take place on November 15 and 16 this year, and families and community groups from different parts of Mumbai and its surrounding areas will participate in it.
The celebrations will begin with Sandhya Arghya on November 15, when devotees pray to the setting Sun standing in water. The next morning, November 16, devotees offer prayers to the rising Sun (Usha Arghya). Many devotees fast during this festival, so rituals are especially important for families. Since the celebrations take place near water bodies and large gatherings assemble, transportation becomes an issue (especially in evening and early morning hours).
The BEST additional bus services will help devotees go to the celebration venues and manage demand for public transport during the festival. It is important that arrangements are made for passengers travelling with family members, elderly people and children, as extra buses can reduce waiting time at busy stops and provide an alternative to private vehicles and other modes of transport too. Passengers should check the latest service information and route details through official BEST communication channels before starting their journey (specific routes and timings should be confirmed by the transport undertaking).
The festival is expected to draw large crowds at Juhu Chowpatty, Marve Beach and Aksa Beach in Mumbai. Local authorities and traffic police have also announced arrangements for the gathering of people. At Marve and Aksa beaches, authorities expect 50,000-60,000 devotees over the two days of celebration.
Mumbai Traffic Police has restricted heavy goods vehicles on a section of Madh-Marve Road to ensure safety and avoid congestion from 4 pm on November 15 till 11 am on November 16 between Baf Hira Junction and Aksa Beach.
Similarly, traffic restrictions have been announced around Juhu Chowpatty where large crowds are expected. Some roads will be temporarily closed, parking restricted, and traffic diverted from November 15 afternoon till November 16 morning to facilitate movement of devotees and emergency vehicles without causing congestion in surrounding areas. Motorists were asked to follow instructions by traffic personnel and use alternate routes wherever necessary.
The additional BEST bus services and traffic management will make travel more convenient during Chhath Puja. Public transport is likely to be an important factor in reducing the number of private vehicles coming to crowded festival locations. Devotees who plan to attend celebrations should allow enough time for travel, check bus availability and local traffic advisories and cooperate with police personnel, volunteers and civic authorities so that celebrations take place peacefully.
Mumbai is gearing up for the annual Chhath Puja festival and transport and traffic arrangements are being made to ensure that devotees travelling across the city have a smooth ride. Extra bus services on November 15 and 16 will be useful during evening prayers and early morning rituals when passenger demand is expected to rise. Residents and commuters should check official BEST announcements for confirmed routes, additional services and timings of operation.
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