A group of bus enthusiasts gave a final farewell to Mumbai's last surviving Tata CNG Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus which was stationed at the Magathane depot in Borivali East.
A bunch of bus aficionados including Sahil Pusalkar, Sumedh Tambe, Rupak Dhakate, and others booked the bus for one last ride on June 30. They decorated the bus and cut a cake, while a senior official broke a coconut. Sweets and roses were distributed to the depot staff, the driver and the conductor.
Bus fan, Shubham Padave, told mid-day that they started from Magathane depot, took the entire highway, travelled the interiors of Government Colony Bandra East, Bandra Worli Sea Link, Worli, Nehru Planetarium, Peddar Road, Girgaon Chowpatty, Nariman Point, Mantralaya, Gateway of India, CSMT, Eastern Freeway, Sion, Chunabhatti railway crossing, Eastern Express Highway, JVLR, Aarey Colony and returned to the depot.
The farewell ride was not only a sentimental journey, but it was also a way to document history. The bus fans recorded their ride, capturing the final moments of the vehicle.
💐Farewell💐
June 30, 2024
For the last time Tata CNG 5xxx bus circumnavigated the entire #Mumbai covering WEH-BWSL-Gate Way-Free Way-Chunnabhatti LC-WEH-JVLR-Aarey Colony-WEH
Farewell event planned and executed by BusFans in co-ordination with @myBESTBus
Thanks for your service Buses. pic.twitter.com/KIs3NJagZ6The phasing out of older models like the Tata CNG bus is a progression in Mumbai's public transport system's modernisation. Newer buses boast improved features like better mileage, lower emissions, and enhanced passenger comfort.
Electric and hybrid buses are being introduced to create a more sustainable and efficient public transport network. However, for bus fans, these changes come with a tinge of nostalgia. The Tata CNG bus represents a bygone era.
New Single-Decker Electric Buses
In November 2023, BEST received 10 new single-decker electric buses from Hyderabad-based company Olectra Greentech. Delivery of these 12-metre-long passenger vehicles was part of an agreement under which Olectra is going to supply 2,100 single-decker buses on a wet lease model, in which the operator takes care of drivers, fuel and maintenance aspects.
As part of an expansion plan, the municipal transport body is inducting electric buses into its fleet, including double-decker ones. According to sources, BEST has more than 400 electric buses in its fleet.
(with PTI inputs)
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