It's a bittersweet farewell for many Mumbaikars as they bid adieu to the iconic red double-decker buses that have been party to city's developing public transport for over eight decades. Pic/Satyajit Desai
Updated On: 2023-09-15 01:46 PM IST
Compiled by : Sanjana Deshpande
The Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport Undertaking, on Tuesday, said the buses will go off-road to make way for the electric double-decker buses. Pic/Atul Kamble
The BEST undertaking said that the open-deck double-decker buses, used as tourist sight-seeing buses since the 1990s, will disappear from the city's streets in October. Pic/Aishwarya Deodhar
The iconic double-deckers were first introduced in public transport system in 1937. The buses since became symbolic of Mumbai itself and has featured in many movies and songs set in 'Bambai' (as pronounced in yesteryear films) of Hindi cinema industry. Pic/Rajendra Aklekar
BEST, at the onset of 1990s, had a fleet of 900 double-decker buses which gradually declined. The administration stopped inducting these iconic buses after 2008 citing high operational costs. Pic/Aishwarya Deodhar
While the buses are going off road, Mumbaikars aren't prepared to part ways with them. A commuters' body 'Aapli BEST Aaplyasathi' has asked the government and undertaking administration to preserve the bus in museum so it does not meet the same fate as trams. Pic/Aishwarya Deodhar
