Mumbai's iconic open double-deck tourist buses to cease operation in October

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BEST's open double-deck buses, a star attraction for Mumbai's tourists, will be stopped in October 2023 as the last three buses will be scrapped starting this month as they have completed their life span. The double-decker open-deck tourist buses were first started by the BEST in collaboration with the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) on 26 January 1997. Of the three, the first open deck bus will be scrapped on 16 September, the second on 25 September and the final one on 5 October as per the schedule.

A tender to procure 50 new open-deck buses remains suspended after BEST found the costs too exorbitant last year so for now the open-deck bus tourist services will no longer be functional.

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The regular non-AC double-decker buses are also on their way out with the last bus being scrapped on September 15 after which only AC double-decker buses will remain in service. Introduced in Bombay in 1937 to cope with the growing number of passengers on the lines of the red double-decker buses in London, the sheer size and look of the double-decker buses made them very popular from day one.