Mumbai’s old, iconic tram coaches are set to be the latest tourist attraction in South Mumbai, just outside the world heritage building of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), at Bhatia Baug. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) ,which is the parent body of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST), will set up the display.

The BEST administration on Thursday said it handed over the coaches, kept outside Anik Depot BEST museum, to the BMC for restoration, in January. Officials from BEST said it might take a few months for the recently appointed private company to restore them. The civic body has allocated Rs 15.73 lakh from its budget.

The tram that is being restored was operational between 1874 and 1907 at Kolkata. In 1993, two coaches were brought to Mumbai and kept at the BEST museum.

While BEST panel members welcomed the plan, they also lashed out at BEST and BMC administration for ignoring the plight of the cash-strapped BEST undertaking.

“Given the state of BEST, we will soon have to install our buses there,” said senior BJP leader Sunil Ganacharya. Another BJP panel member Atul Shah suggested track for tourists to take tram rides.

Meanwhile, Congress member Ravi Raja questioned the need of converting BEST buses into toilets when BMC is building 22,000 toilets.

First Published: Feb 15, 2019 16:14 IST