BOMBAY 1930'S
Vintage Bombay India Travel Poster
B.E.S.T. TRAM 1910-1950
B route omnibus indicating Gowalia Tank on its display board
Photos: Time-Travelling With Mumbai’s Iconic BEST Buses
Buses that ran between 1928 and 1930 had postboxes for passengers to deposit their letters.
Published on National Geographic Traveller India – July 2015
One of my favourite memories of growing up in Mumbai is riding in the city’s iconic red buses – specifically the double-decker bus. The second the bus pulled up, I would dart up the spiral stairs and rush to the upper deck, hoping the first row of seats was free. There’s something about those seats; from that height you feel like you’re guiding this giant beast through Mumbai’s crowded streets, taking in the sights you may otherwise have never noticed. However, as grand as Mumbai’s double-deckers are, they aren’t the most cost-efficient, which has led to a reduction in routes. And that’s not the worst part.
Just this week, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking, which runs public buses in the city, said that it is facing severe losses, with not a single route in the city making profits. BEST has put up posters across the city, urging commuters to take buses. It would be a shame to lose the institution, considering its arterial role in building this city. On the 89th anniversary of the first motor-bus service in Mumbai, let’s go back in time to visit the BEST’s glory days.
The Horse-Drawn Tramcar
Horse-drawn trams were the first avatars of buses in Mumbai. On the right, you can see a stable for the horses.
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