Final diesel-run double-decker bus of Mumbai drives into historical past, East Auto Information
Adorned with garlands of flowers and balloons, the final diesel-run double-decker rolled out of BEST’s Marol depot on Friday morning and caught the eyeballs all through the day.“>
As Mumbaikars bid adieu to the final diesel-run double-decker bus of the Brihanmumbai Electrical Provide and Transport (BEST) enterprise, commuters and staffers reminisced about their journey within the iconic purple car that grew to become a logo of town itself. “Hiya, Mumbai Police? I would wish to report the theft of one among my most necessary childhood reminiscences,” wrote industrialist Anand Mahindra on ‘X’, echoing the loss felt by many Mumbaikars. The bus began its last journey on route 415 from the Andheri railway station to SEEPZ village within the western suburbs round 11.05 pm on Friday. After reaching the vacation spot, it headed for Marol depot of BEST.
“I had a memorable journey with the double-decker bus for 15 years. It was ‘Mumbai ki shaan’ (Mumbai’s delight) and we’re not going to see it once more. We distributed previous tickets to commuters in the course of the last journey as a particular ticket,” stated Gopal Sutake, the conductor of the 415 route bus.
The period of purple diesel-run double-deckers, launched on town streets 86 years in the past, thus got here to an finish. New, shiny red-and-black battery-operated (EV) double-deckers have already begun to ply since February this yr.
Nonetheless, three open-deck diesel-run double-deckers used for sightseeing excursions in South Mumbai are nonetheless in operation. These buses will go off the street on October 5, BEST officers stated.
Adorned with garlands of flowers and balloons, the final diesel-run double-decker rolled out of BEST’s Marol depot on Friday morning and caught the eyeballs all through the day. Folks have been seen clicking images and selfies inside and outdoors the bus.
“Bye bye #doubledecker buses. a stunning option to journey elements of town. Nothing compares on the street not even my #Audi #Mumbai,” wrote Anand Sivashankar on ‘X’.
Members of the commuter group ‘Aapali BEST Aaplyasathi’ and some bus lovers have been current at Andheri East to bid farewell to the double-decker on its final journey.
Rupesh Shelatkar, president of ‘Aapali BEST Aaplyasathi’, instructed PTI that aside from frequent residents, celebrities like Junior Mehmood, a well-known Bollywood actor, have been additionally current there.
A cake was lower by the hands of BEST drivers and conductors. The passengers and assembled bus lovers clapped their palms and expressed gratitude for the bus.
Shelatkar stated that the bus was working full all through the day as many individuals wished to journey on it for one final time. Some wished to expertise the nostalgia of sitting within the entrance seat on the higher deck and having fun with the cool breeze.
“For the reason that iconic double-decker buses served Mumbai for the final 86 years, we wished to present it a grand farewell as gratitude and we have been actually overwhelmed. However we urge the BEST administration to protect a minimum of a few these previous double-decker buses in its museum, contemplating the love of Mumbaikars for this mannequin,” he stated.
The bus was to make its final journey from Andheri East at 9.19 pm, however resulting from public demand, BEST ran some further providers, he stated.
It was an emotional day for Yash Vinay Surve, one of many commuters who took the ultimate journey.
“I’ve spent my childhood having fun with rides in double-decker buses. We’ve got requested the BEST administration to maintain a minimum of one bus of every mannequin at its museum in Anik depot,” he stated.
The primary double-decker bus was launched on Mumbai roads in 1937, a decade after BEST launched its bus service within the rising metropolis.
Until the mid-Nineties, BEST had round 900 double-decker buses in its fleet. The quantity started to lower and round 125 buses have been left in 2010. By 2019, it had dwindled to 50.
“A complete of 900 air-conditioned double-decker bus providers will likely be offered to the folks of Mumbai by the top of July 2024,” the BEST stated in its launch.
“For the reason that newly-introduced buses are air-conditioned and electrical, the long run generations will miss out on the enjoyment of racing up the steps to get a seat on the highest deck and having fun with the view with the breeze hitting faces,” Varun Dikshit, a commuter stated.
One other commuter Santoshi Mishra created a particular reminiscence along with her daughter by taking the final journey on the bus from SEEPZ.
“I’ve so many reminiscences of travelling within the double-decker bus as a baby with my father. I can not get these days again. However I created a particular reminiscence with my daughter as we took a journey on the bus from SEEPZ. She performed my favorite music “Ae dil hain mushkil jeena yaha, Jara hatke jara bachke ye hain Bombay meri jaan” on her flute throughout our final journey on the bus,” she stated.
