'Goodbye', say Mumbai’s historical diesel-run Double Decker buses

Bhanu A | NT

Bengaluru: The metropolitan city of Bombay, now called Mumbai was known for its double decker buses.

These double decker busses looked like a bus over the bus, and people peeping out of its ‘first floor’ windows, looked like they were sitting in their home balconies.

The riders would take an aluminium staircase to go on the ‘first floor’. These buses were diesel-driven. These buses were amongst the main transport charm apart from toy-trains.

The first double-decker bus was introduced on Mumbai roads in 1937 by the BEST (Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport). Till the mid-1990s, BEST had around 900 double-decker buses in its fleet.

Soon the double dwindled and by 2010, only 125 buses were left. Its last count was 50 in September 2023. As the Mumbai population grew, BEST launched it buses 10 years later.

However the charm of double decker never faded, unless it was being boarded by the old and ailing. So, why the double decker buses had to go?

Double decker buses were running on Mumbai roads for 86 years. Looking at the fast-faced life and population surge in the city, they had become out-dated and inefficient in recent years.

Also, as per RTO rules, buses in service for 15 years have to be scrapped. Therefore the last non-AC double-decker bus, after completing 15 years of service, was retired on later last week.

But hold on, these buses have not exactly gone. They will come back in their new avatar. BEST has deployed 25 battery-powered double-decker buses to replace them.

So, the good news is, "A total of 900 air conditioned double-decker bus services will be provided to the people of Mumbai by the end of July 2024," the BEST officials have declared in its press release.

By the way, new, shiny red-and-black batteryoperated (EV) double-deckers had already begun to make their presence felt on Mumbai roads since February this year.

But, because the Mumabikaars have loved these nonAC double decker buses, BEST officials have decided to keep three open-deck diesel-run double-deckers used for sightseeing tours in South Mumbai to continue.

But these buses will go also off the road on October 5. Mumbaikaars were nostalgic about its going away. So they celebrated its retirement. A cake was cut by the staff of the buses; viz conductors and drivers.

The bus was garlanded like a groom. Many film stars also came to say goodbye to these buses, which had been their affordable transport during their struggle days.

The double decker buses were immensely popular for their spaciousness, panoramic views and breeze in sultry Mumbai weather. The BEST has decided to preserve one non-AC dieselrun double decker bus in its museum as a token of history