A Double-Decker Electric Buses Introduces by BEST on January 14, 2023

In January 2023, double-decker electric buses will be introduced to the city by the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST), according to an official. This month, the BEST will debut its premium e-bus service. In a statement to the media recently, BEST general manager Lokesh Chandra said that the clearances for double-decker e-buses are nearing completion. This will mark a strong comeback for the double decker buses to the city, after being such an iconic part of the cityscape between 1937, when they were first introduced, till recently, when the last of the diesel powered beats was to be phased out.  

On January 14, 2023, at least 10 double-decker electric buses will be introduced, with a fleet that would eventually grow to 50, he stated. According to the official, BEST has decided to introduce its high-end single-decker e-bus services later this month. Passengers can reserve their seats for these buses using an app.

According to the official, the transport authority has already put out a request for proposals for the launch of 500 electric taxi services that are scheduled to begin soon. The official added that people can reserve these cabs using the Chalo app, which is already used for bus ticketing and real-time bus tracking. With a fleet of about 3,500 buses, including more than 400 planned e-buses, The BEST offers bus services to Mumbai and the areas around the city. Currently, 45 non-AC double-decker diesel buses are part of the transportation authority’s fleet. When their codal life is up, though, they will be gradually removed in 2023–2024.

For Mumbai, public transportation, which is such a lifeline for the city’s residents with it’s limited road network, has been vital. It has also been overlooked for the longest possible time, much like the rest of India. Brainless planning has meant a capitulation to private vehicles with their resultant pressure on civic infrastructure, especially public spaces for parking. Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, you name the city, public transport has effectively degrown in most cases, even as these cities have exploded population wise. The sole big ticket achievements in the form of the metro networks here have also been affected by the shrinking bus fleets in every case. Blamed usually on losses at these fleets. That mindset, of not treating a bus network as a critical public good encapsulates all that is wrong with city transportation in India.

One hopes that better sense will prevail soon.