The bus has officially been retired after clocking more than fifteen years of service across the city’s crowded routes. It was not just a bus—it was a chapter in Mumbai’s public transport story
Commuter welfare group Aapli BEST Aaplyasathi ensured that the veteran workhorse did not simply disappear into the depot. Pic/Special Arrangement by Rajendra B. Aklekar
A Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking bus number 1864 (MH-01 AP 0748) faded into the afternoon air at Malwani depot in Mumbai earlier this week, marking the end of an era for BEST’s last full-sized vehicle introduced under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) in 2009.
The bus has officially been retired after clocking more than fifteen years of service across the city’s crowded routes. It was not just a bus—it was a chapter in Mumbai’s public transport story.
With bus 1864’s retirement, all full-sized JNNURM buses inducted under the 2009 scheme have now been withdrawn. Only bus number 1757, repurposed for driver training, remains on the rolls and is expected to retire by early 2027. A handful of midi-sized JNNURM buses still operate, the last of which will go off-road on 15 November 2025.
Commuter welfare group Aapli BEST Aaplyasathi ensured that the veteran workhorse did not simply disappear into the depot. Instead, they gave it a farewell filled with heart, nostalgia, and civic pride. For nearly two hours, members of the group, bus enthusiasts, and BEST’s Malwani engineering staff decorated the bus with flowers, garlands, flags, and balloons. At their request, the engineering team repainted the bus in its original red livery, restoring the dignity of its early days.
Retired BEST engineer Suhas Pednekar added a personal touch, hand-painting the depot name and fleet number—just as he used to do during his service years. “Some people hire buses privately for farewell events, but we wanted this one to be truly inclusive—with employees and passengers both taking part,” said Siddhesh Mhatre, secretary of Aapli BEST Aaplyasathi.
Once the decorations were complete, Senior Engineering Officer Prasad Dixit performed the traditional coconut-breaking ritual, followed by a cake-cutting ceremony, to send off the bus on its final run on route 207 to Dahisar. Every passenger on board received a chocolate with their ticket—a sweet memento to remember the journey by.
As the bus rolled out, freshly polished and flower-bedecked, Mumbaikars along the route waved, cheered, and clicked photos—a rare sight in a city where the old quietly makes way for the new. “I worked on these JNNURM buses for many years,” said retired engineer Suhas Pednekar, smiling through moist eyes.
At Dahisar, the organisers felicitated driver Santoshkumar Sharma, conductor Vishwas Bhulugade, and Mr Pednekar with shawls and shrifal—a traditional Maharashtrian gesture of gratitude.
The withdrawal of mid-sized JNNURM buses later in November could affect services in Bhandup and Malad, where these buses remain popular. “We’re tracking the situation closely and plan to meet the BEST General Manager with recommendations,” said Gaurav Chindarkar, spokesperson for the commuter group.
Aapli BEST Aaplyasathi’s president, Rupesh Shelatkar, said, “We’ll continue to push for self-owned buses in the BEST fleet and ensure that the spirit of public transport—service before profit—endures.”
As bus number 1864 rolled into the depot one last time, it carried with it memories of countless journeys and conversations—always on the move.
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