Mumbai: Commercial operation of India's first AC electric double-decker bus from next week

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking is all set to start commercial operation of India's first AC electric double-decker bus from next week.

According to a senior BEST officer, Undertaking will get four more buses in this month, which will likely be put in service by the first week of March and 18 more such types of  buses will  join the fleet in March 2023. 

On Friday a trail run was conducted between Colaba bus depot to Wilson college and returned back to Colaba via CSMT, Gateway with journalists and senior officials of BEST. During the trail run several clicked selfies with the new bus on Friday.

Many attracting features of the new e-bus

Apart from the height issue of the upper deck, other features of the new bus are good and appreciated by the people who were  part of the trail run. "Providing double doors with separates staircase in the both side of bus is a very good move , it will definitely help to the passagens while boarding and deboarding the bus sais an officials of BEST adding that it will also reduced the  halt time of bus which will  directly help punctuality of bus services.  When asked about the height of the upper deck, BEST official said, it's as per standard norms.

Equipped with CCTV cameras, the new buses with a carrying capacity of 80 passengers (including 65 seats), will replace the existing double-decker fleet of the BEST. This AC electric double-decker bus is not only equipped with wider glass windows but also equipped with two doors in the rear and front side with two staircases. It sits on a lightweight aluminium body which helps in achieving a higher passenger-to-weight ratio and a competitive cost per passenger per km.

According to Lokesh Chandra, general manager of the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking, the e-bus is likely to ply on the in south Mumbai. " We are conducting trials in south Mumbai as well as suburban areas including the Kurla- BKC , Juhu -BKC route , but the first bus is likely to be introduced in south Mumbai next week" said Chandra adding that by end of this financial year BEST will get 22 more double decker e business including four by end of this months.