Mumbai’s first electric double-decker bus to run on roads from September
Premium- Mumbai's first electric double-decker bus shall run for the public from September 2022
The first electric double-decker bus of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) is likely to be run for the public in Mumbai from September 2022. The prototype electric double-decker bus is ready with all necessary permissions. BEST currently has more than 400 single-decker electric buses. The first electric double-decker bus is likely to be handed over to BEST anytime soon, an official said.
The civic-run BEST has awarded a contract to a private company for the supply of 900 electric buses in phases. About 450 of the electric buses in the contract shall be delivered by March 2023.
"The first electric double-decker bus is expected to undergo some trials after delivery. Hence, it will be hit the roads for the public from September. The concerned private manufacturing company had planned an event to showcase the bus in Mumbai on Friday. It had nothing to do with BEST. However, the event has been cancelled due to some reasons," an official said.
Incidentally, the metropolis' premier road transport undertaking will be celebrating its anniversary on August 7. The Undertaking had 900 conventional double-decker buses in its fleet since 1990, but the numbers steadily reduced over the years to around 50 now.
While five vehicles are used for heritage tours, the remaining vehicles are used on various routes, the official said. Per day, a total of 3,700 BEST buses ferry more than 30 lakh passengers.
(With PTI inputs)
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