Push to revive Mumbai’s iconic red giants for heritage rides around city as nostalgia survey explodes with memories; the enthusiasts, many of them long-time BEST followers and transport hobbyists, have launched a public survey to gauge interest
One of Mumbai’s iconic red double-deckers that enthusiasts hope to revive for heritage circuits. Pic/By Special Arrangement
In an effort to revive a piece of Mumbai’s transport heritage, a group of bus enthusiasts has begun exploring the possibility of bringing back a limited number of the iconic non-AC diesel double-decker buses for heritage sightseeing services. The idea follows a surge of nostalgia around the classic red buses, which were phased out in recent years due to fleet upgrades and emission norms.
The enthusiasts, many of them long-time BEST followers and transport hobbyists, have launched a public survey to gauge interest. They believe that a curated heritage service, operated sparingly and maintained as a cultural attraction, could be viable with enough public support.
According to bus enthusiast Shubham Padave, who initiated the survey, the proposal is not about restoring old buses for regular commuter routes but about creating a dedicated heritage circuit for tourists and fans.
One of Mumbai’s iconic red double-deckers, which enthusiasts hope to revive for the heritage circuit. Pic/By Special Arrangement
“Key considerations include operational costs, maintenance feasibility, environmental norms and the availability of restorable buses. Mumbai’s double-deckers, introduced in the 1930s and inspired by London’s iconic buses, once defined the city’s streetscape. Their withdrawal left a void for many who saw them as moving landmarks,” Padave told mid-day.
The survey has sparked a wave of nostalgia. Many respondents recalled long rides on the upper deck, especially on classic routes like 124 from Colaba to Worli and 123 along Marine Drive. Others reminisced about front-row seats on the top deck, describing them as the ultimate childhood prize — a window seat to the “moving theatre” of Mumbai.
Several shared memories are tied to routes such as 203 from Dahisar to Juhu, 202 and 210 from Dahisar to Mahim and Seven Bungalows, 313 connecting Kurla and Santacruz, and 415 from Andheri to SEEPZ — all symbolic of Mumbai’s double-decker era.
Shubham Padave, bus enthusiast
Respondents also remembered conductors on the upper deck whose rhythm of ticket-punching became the soundtrack of their commute, familiar regular passengers and drivers who manoeuvred the long-bodied buses through narrow lanes with unmatched skill.
Some recalled monsoon journeys, with rain spraying through open windows, the scent of wet earth and diesel fumes, and how the buses shaped their childhoods. Suggestions poured in for possible heritage circuits along Marine Drive, Worli Seaface and the Fort-Colaba stretch, where the upper deck view would be the most delightful.
Families shared stories of weekend outings on the open-deck variants, calling the buses “unforgettable” and “irreplaceable parts of Mumbai’s identity.” Most respondents believed that reviving a few double-deckers for special routes would bring joy, draw tourists and preserve a vital chapter of the city’s public transport history.
“Double-deckers are life. The old double-deckers are the city’s memory, and you cannot erase them. Running a few on heritage circuits will definitely add value to Mumbai’s transport legacy,” said 47-year-old Yatin S Angare, whose two-storey mansion opposite Dahisar station is filled with model double-decker buses from around the world.
Padave added, “If BEST works with the transport ministry and obtains vintage tags for the old double-deckers lying in the scrapyard, they can be restored for sightseeing or even leased to MTDC or private tour operators. It will help BEST earn revenue like it once did.”
Mumbai’s old double-decker buses
The original double-deckers were introduced in Bombay in 1937 to handle rising passenger numbers; their massive size, red body and rear entry platform made them an instant favourite. The design was later inspired by the London Routemaster design of the 1950s. The Routemaster-inspired design, with its independent driver cabin and integral body, remained iconic for decades.
What do you think? Should Mumbai bring back its iconic double-decker buses for heritage routes? Share your thoughts in short survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfg38_aRg9I5Py8oz98br6RADh7c61gi0e57quF8YQSh7Fl3w/viewform?usp=header
1937
Year double-deckers were introduced in Mumbai
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