08 September,2023 07:51 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
The Bandra Fair is held to celebrate the Nativity of Mother Mary. Photo Courtesy: Atul Kamble
The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply & Transport Undertaking has announced that will provide additional bus services from Bandra Station (West) to Hill Road on the occasion of Mount Mary Fair. The Mount Mary Fair commences on September 10.
The BEST undertaking said in their media statement that 287 additional services will be introduced from Bandra station to Hill Road from September 10 to September 17. The volume of services on other routes across Bandra will also be increased, the undertaking said.
In their media statement, the BEST noted that the Mount Mary Fair which will last through September 17 attracts a large number of crowd and many arrive in Bandra using suburban train services and then avail of bus services to reach the church.
"Taking this into consideration, this year, on the occasion of 'Mount Mary Fair', 287 additional buses will be run between Bandra Station (W) and Hill Road for the whole week by the BEST," the statement read.
The BEST also said that as a large number of visitors go to the Mount Mary Church and Father Agnel Ashram, they cannot ply buses till the church. "As a result, these additional buses will be operated between Bandra Railway Station (W) and Hill Road Park," BEST said.
"Bus Inspectors and Traffic Officers have also been appointed throughout the period to provide proper guidance and support to the passengers considering the influx of passengers at Bandra Station and Mount Mary Church area," the undertaking further mentioned in their statement.
Mount Mary Fair or Bandra Fair
Bandra Fair or Mount Mary Fair is an annual event which starts on a Sunday following the Nativity of Mother Mary, colloquially called the birthday of Mother Mary, which is celebrated on September 8 every year. The fair, over time, became an important part of Mumbai as many began to flock to Mount Mary Church. The week-long event has various elements with many erecting stalls selling knick-knacks, food and other goodies. Reportedly, the fair is estimated to be over 300 years old and draws nearly 1 lakh visitors each day. The fair was not held in 2020 due to Covid-19 pandemic however people attended the subsequent two fairs in great numbers.
