Mumbai: BEST's iconic double decker bus completes 85 years

The iconic double-decker bus of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) has completed 85 years of plying the streets of Mumbai. The first double-decker bus was launched on 8 December 1937.

Currently, 45 double-decker diesel-fired buses are plying in the city on various routes in Mumbai. The BEST has decided to phase out all existing double-decker buses by June 2023. All these buses will be replaced by state of art newly designed electric double-decker buses.

BEST has already decided to introduce 50 new double-decker electric buses in the city in phases manner starting from Makar Sankranti, (January 14, 2023 ).

The newly built electric double-decker buses were supposed to be introduced in September 2022 but were delayed due to an incomplete certification process.

“Double-deckers were introduced to cope with the growing number of commuters in the city, and, since they could accommodate nearly 1.5 times the people, they were also cost-effective,” said an official of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking.

"The first double-deckers, made by the British automobile company had mechanical gears and weak brakes, so driving them was a very delicate task, however, newly designed buses are equipped with advanced technology and comparatively easier to handle," further added the official.