Dear Friends,
We’re back and we want to walk you through our journey…
On 26 July 2025, two decades after the floods that revealed Mumbai’s broken infrastructure, citizens once again stepped forward to defend the city’s lifeline: the BEST buses.
At the Bambai Bus Jan Sabha, more than 80 people, ranging from workers, seniors, artists, activists, influencers, journalists, to everyday commuters, gathered to make one demand clear: Mumbai deserves better.
What we heard was powerful:
🚌 Elderly citizens spoke about being stranded by infrequent buses and missing the BEST of the past.
🧕🏽 Women and caregivers shared how safety and dignity are still out of reach.
🎓 Students and workers reminded us that affordable buses once opened doors to education and livelihoods.
We also celebrated Mumbai’s spirit through art, history, and performance:
🎭 Govandi’s rap crew Code 43 delivered an electric set, while Gutter Ki Macchli, screened by the Govandi Arts Festival, offered a sharp, poetic take on environmental injustice and forgotten communities
🖼️ An exhibition honoured the people behind the system, the ones who keep Mumbai moving.
💬 As one commuter put it: “We’re not just talking about buses. We’re talking about dignity, access, and the right to the city.”
After the Bambai Bus Jan Sabha, we took some time to reflect and strategise. Our goal: to find ways of bringing young people more deeply into this movement. The Jan Sabha showed us what’s possible when commuters, workers, unions, students, artists and activists come together, and we’re ready for the next chapter.
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Young people’s actions till now have resulted in 📩300+ email petitions directly to the authorities demanding a bus system that is reliable, affordable, and accountable.
Now, the momentum must continue. Here’s how you can help keep Mumbai moving:
👉🏽 Volunteer with Pudhe Chala: Lend your time and skills to organise, research, design, document, and mobilise. Sign up here!
🎥 Watch and share our documentary about mobility: Pudhe Chala | Mumbai’s Voice.
📸 Follow us on Instagram amd stay close to the movement, share stories, and help build public pressure.
At Pudhe Chala, we know change comes from people standing together. The Jan Sabha was proof that when Mumbai speaks, it speaks with courage, creativity, and care. And this is only the beginning.
We hope to Pudhe Chala together!
In solidarity,
The Pudhe Chala Team 💛🚌
