Double decker electric buses may be launched in Mumbai soon. The first electric AC double decker bus in Mumbai is expected to launch in the first week of August on the occasion of BEST's founding day on 7th August. According to a report, the number of double decker buses in Mumbai has come down from 120 in 2019 to only 48 in 2021. In view of this, BEST has decided to keep the oldest mode of transportation in the city safe.
BEST's buses are being converted to electric. For this, the state government is purchasing 900 electric buses. The government plans to convert all diesel buses in the city to electric by 2028. The state government says all BEST buses will either run entirely on electric or run on hydrogen fuel cells. Depending on which means the buses will be safer and less expensive to operate.
The state government is considering adding new buses to BEST to meet the growing demand for public transport in Mumbai. 31 lakh commuters travel by bus in the city every day. The number of passengers could increase by another 1 to 2 lakh in the next one to two years. The government has already approved 900 double decker electric buses. Which could see 225 buses running by the end of this year. The next 225 buses will run in March 2023 and the remaining 450 in June 2023.