Route from Colaba to Mahim, one of the oldest in city, is not in operation anymore; officials say it is being ‘restructured’, will return
The current bus on Route 1. PIC/SHUBHAM PADAVE
The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking has discontinued one of its oldest routes — Bus Number 1, which used to operate between Colaba and Mahim. This route was also significant as it hosted Mumbai’s first double-decker bus, a Daimler-class vehicle, introduced in 1937.
Historically, the route was numbered as Route A during the tram era and was later upgraded to Route Number 1. It used to run between Colaba and Mahim. Many old-timers are nostalgic about this route and have protested against its discontinuation,” said Suryakant Jadhav, a resident of Lalbaug.
In recent years, the Tata electric bus was inaugurated on Route 1. Even during the post-lockdown period, when local trains were not operational for the general public, Route 1 was regularly operated using double-decker buses from the Colaba depot.
One of the first buses on Route 1. Pic/BEST ARCHIVES
Before the lockdown, a night version of Route 1 also operated. The night service — Bus 1 Ltd — ran from Colaba Depot to Santacruz Depot, cruising through the sleeping city. Bus enthusiasts referred to Route 1L and other night services as “vampire routes,” as they became active after sunset and ceased operations before sunrise.
Originally, Route 1 operated from Colaba to Mahim. It was later extended to run from RC Church, Colaba to Bandra Reclamation Bus Station, and remained operational in this form for over a decade. Additionally, a route designated as C1 was introduced around 2021, also running from Colaba Depot to Santacruz Depot, but it too has been recently suspended.
BEST officials stated that the change is part of a route rationalisation plan. They added that areas previously served by Route 1 are still covered, but now by a different route — Route 51. While Route 1 ran from Colaba to Mahim, Route 51 covers Colaba to Santacruz.
Commuters, however, argue that Route 51 primarily serves residents of Bandra and fails to meet the needs of long-time Route 1 users. Route 1 had been a popular choice for travel between Colaba and Bandra Reclamation Bus Station, in both directions. BEST General Manager SVR Srinivas assured that the route will be reinstated. “The removal is temporary. It will be restructured and resumed in a few days,” he told mid-day.
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