Mumbai: Scrapping of city's iconic double deckers begins

Some of the double deckers lined up for scrap at Anik bus depot

Mumbai's favourite double decker buses have started queuing up for scrap. Nearly 15 of the total 120 queued up at Anik bus depot near Sion make for a very sad picture with missing windows, lamps and accessories. Many single deckers have also been lined up.

As mid-day had reported last week, there is a plan to scrap about 900 buses in the next one year, including half the fleet from 120 double deckers.

Bus enthusiasts disappointed

BEST officials said a number of buses that had been procured between 2005-06 have reached the age-limit of 15 years, after which they need to retired from passenger service, adding that they have to go by the law of the land, and retire buses technically at the end of their validity and certificates. However, trade union leaders, bus enthusiasts, transport experts and citizens have expressed dismay, saying that the buses were in good condition and can stretch for a few more years till new ones are procured, especially in the times of pandemic when more buses are required to cater to norms of social distancing, etc.

"There is no new clear plan to procure buses, especially double deckers, and scrapping the existing ones will spell doom. What the BEST is doing is getting 21-seater small buses, which in the times of social distancing do not cater to even 10 commuters," Aniruddha Joshi, a bus fan said.

'BEST is legally bound'

Trade union leader Shashank Sharad Rao had told mid-day last week that the Undertaking needs to maintain a fleet of 3,337 buses of their own at any point and that they were legally bound by the clause in the MoU signed along with the municipal commissioner.

"The BEST Undertaking always cites court directives for everything. However, I feel that it has some of the best engineering and maintenance practices in Asia and if they approach for concessions and validity extensions, I do not think the courts will refuse exemptions. But BEST, for some reason does not do so.

Also, one must thoroughly investigate the dealings of the scrap department, as there have been instances of misdeeds," advocate Prashant Sane, BEST's former traffic officer and presently a practising lawyer, claimed.

15
No. of double deckers queued up for scrap

Gurugram Museum wants one of city's double decker buses

The 90,000 sq foot Gurugram Transport Museum at Haryana has approached the BEST Undertaking to procure one double decker bus to be put on display. The iconic double decker buses, introduced in Mumbai in 1937, have been modelled on the lines of the London double deckers. The museum showcases the evolution of transportation in India and sets a benchmark in interpretation, exhibition and in communication.

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