Double-decker buses were first introduced in 1937, 11 years after BEST bus service was started in Mumbai in July 1926. In these buses, which were visible from a distance, long distance passengers preferred to travel on the upper floor, while short distance passengers preferred to sit on the lower level.
86 साल का शानदार राज ख़त्म आज, इतिहास बनीं 1926 में शुरू हुई मुंबई की बेस्ट की डबल-डेकर बसों का सफर खत्म
After ruling for 86 years on several routes in the country’s financial ‘capital’ Mumbai, the famous non-air-conditioned double-decker BEST buses will be officially ‘retired’ from service from Friday night. Officials said that the remaining five such buses plying on some routes in South Mumbai will also not be seen on the roads from Saturday. After this, some open-deck double-decker tourist buses will also be closed from October 5.
However, BEST had 16 air-conditioned, electric double-decker buses on the roads in 2022 which was unveiled by Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari. In the next phase, 18 more AC double-decker buses will be added to the fleet. Of these 18 buses, 10 will be deployed in South Mumbai and the rest will serve the suburbs. BEST currently has a fleet of over 3000 single-decker buses carrying an average of over 30 lakh passengers daily. These are considered to be Mumbai’s reliable and all-weather ‘lifeline’.
Non-AC double-decker buses were introduced here for the first time in 1937, 11 years after BEST bus service was started in Mumbai in July 1926. At one time more than 240 double-decker buses operated across the city. Gradually their number decreased to 122 in 2010 and to only 48 by 2019. The last five buses are also going to become history.
In double-decker buses, which were visible from a distance, long-distance passengers preferred to travel on the upper deck, while those traveling short distances preferred to sit on the lower deck. Teenagers and children would run towards the upper deck and there would be a scramble for the front two seats as from there one could see the sights of Mumbai from very close. Also, on the upper deck there was good air in all seasons, although the windows had to be closed during the monsoon.
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