Soon after it came to light that the Telangana government was considering reintroduction of double-decker buses, residents on Saturday reminisced the era when they could enjoy a ride on the giant vehicles.
Mohammad Saleem Ahmed, a 50-year-old resident of Banjara Hills who works with a private company, said many commuters preferred travelling on the upper deck. “I remember there were not many double-decker buses, but many youngsters and children wanted to sit on the upper area to enjoy a good view, especially on the Tank Bund road,” he said.
Another resident Sangamitra Malik tweeted, “Travelled countless times on these double-decker buses & the other ones with the trailer. Not just myself but my children too loved travelling in them sitting upstairs. These should be reintroduced on Hyd roads on some important routes (sic).”
Officials said at the peak of Telangana Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC), the fleet strength of the double-decker buses was less than 100. But, due to practical issues, such as increased need of manpower deployment, low fuel efficiency and changing road conditions, the buses had to be phased out in the early 2000s. There were plans to re-introduce them in 2003, but it didn’t materialise.
“We had double decker-buses at the Kukatpally, Mehdipatnam and Ranigunj-1 depots. They used to ply on the 7 route (Secunderabad towards Zoo), the 5 route (Mehdipatnam to Secunderabad) and 65 (Mehdipatnam to Charminar). There was an issue of personnel. Regular buses had one driver and one conductor, whereas the double-deckers had two conductors. In terms of fuel efficiency, ordinary buses yield around 4.5 km per litre (kmpl) and the double-deckers ran around 2 kmpl. They were made by Leyland company and the fabrication was done by Allwyn, a company which closed down in the mid-1990s,” an official said.
Another official said after calculating the cost benefit, the buses were either scrapped or auctioned. “In terms of route, the buses could not be redeployed on any route. There was the issue of maneuverability given overhead electrical lines and sharp curves on roads. Back then, standees on the upper deck were not allowed. But overall, people enjoyed the ride,” he said.
Meanwhile, TSRTC trade unions welcomed the move. K Raji Reddy of TSRTC Employees’ Union said, “Double-deckers can help in tourism and are a part of the city’s heritage and culture.”
