Mumbai bus lovers rally to revive iconic BEST double-deckers for heritage tours

In an effort to revive a piece of Mumbairsquos transport heritage a group of bus enthusiasts has begun exploring the possibility of bringing back a limited number of the iconic nonAC diesel doubledecker buses for heritage sightseeing services The idea follows a surge of nostalgia around the classic red buses which were phased out in recent years due to fleet upgrades and emission normsThe enthusiasts many of them longtime BEST followers and transport hobbyists have launched a public survey to gauge interest They believe that a curated heritage service operated sparingly and maintained as a cultural attraction could be viable with enough public supportAccording to bus enthusiast Shubham Padave who initiated the survey the proposal is not about restoring old buses for regular commuter routes but about creating a dedicated heritage circuit for tourists and fansOne of Mumbairsquos iconic red doubledeckers which enthusiasts hope to revive for the heritage circuit PicBy Special ArrangementldquoKey considerations include operational costs maintenance feasibility environmental norms and the availability of restorable buses Mumbairsquos doubledeckers introduced in the 1930s and inspired by Londonrsquos iconic buses once defined the cityrsquos streetscape Their withdrawal left a void for many who saw them as moving landmarksrdquo Padave told middayThe survey has sparked a wave of nostalgia Many respondents recalled long rides on the upper deck especially on classic routes like 124 from Colaba to Worli and 123 along Marine Drive Others reminisced about frontrow seats on the top deck describing them as the ultimate childhood prize mdash a window seat to the ldquomoving theatrerdquo of MumbaiSeveral shared memories are tied to routes such as 203 from Dahisar to Juhu 202 and 210 from Dahisar to Mahim and Seven Bungalows 313 connecting Kurla and Santacruz and 415 from Andheri to SEEPZ mdash all symbolic of Mumbairsquos doubledecker eraShubham Padave bus enthusiastRespondents also remembered conductors on the upper deck whose rhythm of ticketpunching became the soundtrack of their commute familiar regular passengers and drivers who manoeuvred the longbodied buses through narrow lanes with unmatched skillSome recalled monsoon journeys with rain spraying through open windows the scent of wet earth and diesel fumes and how the buses shaped their childhoods Suggestions poured in for possible heritage circuits along Marine Drive Worli Seaface and the FortColaba stretch where the upper deck view would be the most delightfulFamilies shared stories of weekend outings on the opendeck variants calling the buses ldquounforgettablerdquo and ldquoirreplaceable parts of Mumbairsquos identityrdquo Most respondents believed that reviving a few doubledeckers for special routes would bring joy draw tourists and preserve a vital chapter of the cityrsquos public transport historyldquoDoubledeckers are life The old doubledeckers are the cityrsquos memory and you cannot erase them Running a few on heritage circuits will definitely add value to Mumbairsquos transport legacyrdquo said 47yearold Yatin S Angare whose twostorey mansion opposite Dahisar station is filled with model doubledecker buses from around the worldPadave added ldquoIf BEST works with the transport ministry and obtains vintage tags for the old doubledeckers lying in the scrapyard they can be restored for sightseeing or even leased to MTDC or private tour operators It will help BEST earn revenue like it once didrdquoMumbairsquos old doubledecker busesThe original doubledeckers were introduced in Bombay in 1937 to handle rising passenger numbers their massive size red body and rear entry platform made them an instant favourite The design was later inspired by the London Routemaster design of the 1950s The Routemasterinspired design with its independent driver cabin and integral body remained iconic for decadesWhat do you think Should Mumbai bring back its iconic doubledecker buses for heritage routes Share your thoughts in short survey httpsdocsgooglecomformsde1FAIpQLSfg38_aRg9I5Py8oz98br6RADh7c61gi0e57quF8YQSh7Fl3wviewformuspheader1937Year doubledeckers were introduced in Mumbai