Bombay High Court order stops BEST buses inside SGNP; e-bus fare rises to Rs 100

Acting on the directions of the Bombay High Court and its monitoring committee the BEST bus service inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park SGNP has been completely halted However to ensure connectivity for tourists the park administration has continued operating ebusCNG services between the main entrance and Kanheri Caves mdash a move that has sparked anger among visitors as the fare has jumped to Rs 100 per person from the earlier Rs 20 charged by BEST busesThe bus waits to ferry passengers to Kanheri Caves PICSSATEJ SHINDESGNP announcementOn Wednesday SGNPrsquos official Instagram account said ldquoAs per directions of the Bombay High Court and the highpowered committee the BEST bus service has been completely discontinued For the convenience of visitors the park administration has continued the ebusCNG bus service The fare for this service is Rs 100 per personrdquoThe kiosk to book tickets at the SGNP main gateIncreased burdenA large number of tourists and wildlife enthusiasts visit SGNP daily For those wishing to visit Kanheri Caves the BEST bus service was the preferred option as it was the most affordable and convenient mode of transport which are located far from the SGNP main gate Visitors say the halt of the service has forced them to rely on paid ebus or erickshaw options increasing costs Tourists and wildlife lovers argue the move hurts budget visitors and discourages ecofriendly travelVisitors left fumingAnand Mohite Wildlife enthusiast and regular park visitorlsquoCharging Rs 100 per person with 6070 passengers aboard means they are charging Rs 7000 per trip and Rs 14000 for a round trip on a short 12km route With multiple trips daily the earnings run into lakhs Meanwhile the common citizen is being milked at every step mdash Rs 133 park entry Rs 100 bus fare Rs 25 for Kanheri Caves Rs 100 to hire a bicycle and more hidden costs How is an ordinary family supposed to afford this A national park is meant for public access and conservation not for squeezing money out of visitors and turning nature into a business venturersquoGanesh Vakale Nature lover and park observerlsquoThis decision appears driven by personal perception and sociopolitical interests with little regard for social welfare Not everyone can afford R100 for a 7km ride to the caves when the public BEST bus earlier charged just Rs 20 The ban also disrupts transport for indigenous tribal hamlets living there for generations Courts must consider these ground realities before curbing a public service introduced through a government welfare resolutionrsquoHitendra Pachkale TouristlsquoThe BEST bus service inside SGNP was the most affordable mode of transport for visitors Since CNG buses are environmentally friendly BESTrsquos CNG buses should continue to ferry passengers to Kanheri Caves Visitors already have to pay multiple charges levied by park authorities including the entry fee tiger and lion safari tickets and fees for other activities How can the common man enjoy these facilities if the rates keep increasingrsquoDid you knowThe Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport BEST undertaking has stopped the operation of its airconditioned bus route A188 between Borivali East railway station and Kanheri Caves in SGNP on January 17 2026 The decision follows directions from the Bombay High Court officials said Meanwhile a regular visitor to the park told midday that the ebus ticket at SGNP was priced at R50 in 2024Official SpeakSGNP deputy director SouthlsquoThe BEST bus services were discontinued due to the Bombay High Court order We have a fleet of three environmentfriendly electricCNG buses that ferry visitors going to Kanheri Caves Revenue generated from the tourists is used for the upkeep and maintenance of SGNPrsquoTicket at a glanceAs displayed at the parkEntry TicketAdult Rs 133Child Rs 61Tiger SafariAdult Rs 150Child 5 yrs12 yrs Rs 61Lokvihar boatingTwoseater Rs 113Fourseater Rs 230Main gate to Kanheri Caves EbuggyAdult Rs 150 Child Rs 100Ebus Adult Rs 100 Child Rs 50To tourist complex area Ebuggy Adult Rs 100 Child Rs 50