After serving as an integral part of Mumbais public transport for more than eight decades, the iconic red double-decker buses, will go off the streets this week, said an official from Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking on Tuesday.Mumbais double-decker buses to stop running forever!The open-deck double-decker buses, which have served as sightseeing buses for the tourist since 1190s, is all set to disappear from the city streets in the first week of October, the official said.Since this shocking announcement to vanishing these buses forever were out, commuter groups and bus enthusiasts have urged BEST to preserve at least two of these iconic buses at its Anik depot-based museum. They have also written to the Maharashtra chief minister, tourism minister and the BEST administration urging them to do so.Informing about this news, a BEST spokesperson said, “Currently, just seven double-decker buses, including three open-deck buses are left in the BESTs fleet. As these vehicles are completing 15 years of their coral life, the double-decker buses will forever go off roads from September 15, while the open-deck buses will be pulled out on October 5.”About Mumbais iconic double-decker busBack in 1937, the red double-decker buses were introduced in the citys public transport system and they have since become symbolic of the city itself. Thats not it, they have also been featured in songs of Bollywood movies set in Mumbai.In the 990s, BEST had a fleet of around 900 double-decker buses but the number gradually declined after the mid-90s.Then, in 2008, BEST cited the high operation cost as the reason to stop inducting double-ducker buses. However, the BEST, since February this year, started replacing these iconic buses with leased battery-run red and black double-decker buses, nearly 255 buses have been introduced so far.Last week, the BEST said it is going to procure open-deck buses for sightseeing and it has already started the process of acquiring them. Until then, the new battery-run double-decker e-buses will be operated for tourists.
