Residents of Dombivli are facing severe inconvenience due to the sudden suspension of Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Transport (KDMT) air-conditioned (AC) midibus services over the past four days. The KDMT, already facing criticism for inadequate coverage across the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) area, is now in the spotlight for poor planning and contractor mismanagement.

AC midibuses that operate between Dombivli station and Lodha, as well as the Nivasi Vibhag, have remained off the roads since earlier this week. The reason: the private contractor appointed by KDMT failed to renew the insurance of these buses, resulting in their grounding at Kalyan Depot (Ganesh Ghat).

This development has left hundreds of daily commuters stranded or forced to rely on autorickshaws, which are not only expensive but also inconsistent. Autorickshaw drivers charge Rs 50 per passenger from Dombivli to Lodha, over three times the Rs 15 charged by KDMT’s AC buses. Moreover, commuters complain of auto drivers refusing to depart until all seats are filled during evening hours, and refusing to wait for passengers in the morning from Lodha.