The red double-decker buses, which served for over eight decades, bid farewell to the streets of Mumbai

The double-decker buses, which had served a variety of routes around Mumbai for 86 years, said goodbye to travellers and everyday commuters on Friday night after the BEST authorities chose to phase them out due to "modernization" and operational costs. These double-decker non-AC buses completed their farewell ride on Friday morning from Marol Depot. The red double-decker buses, which were first seen in the city in 1937, have come to symbolise it, becoming part of the cultural memory of both locals and visitors, in addition to appearing in Hollywood and Indian films set in the vivacious metropolis.

With the introduction of roughly 25 of these leased battery-powered red and black double-decker buses, The BEST began to replace these recognisable vehicles. 

When the bus pulled into Seepz Depot for a five-minute stop, around 2 p.m., passengers flocked to the location to snap pictures with the vehicle. Others boarded the red metal moving machine right away in an attempt to get a front seat on the upper deck.

The BEST operated a fleet of about 900 double-decker buses in the early 1990s, but from the mid-1990s, layovers throughout the city and rising operating expenses contributed to the fleet's slow decline.

The "prestigious double-decker buses" of Mumbai city won't be shut down, according to BEST officials, and the BEST plans to offer 900 air-conditioned double-decker buses to Mumbai residents by the end of July 2024. The service would be provided by 900 air-conditioned double-decker buses out of 12 different bus terminals in Mumbai, so that the greatest number of individuals can use these buses' services. By constantly taking into account the preferences of customers in Mumbai, BEST has also modernised the bus operation, according to BEST employees.