Last week, a report in Hindustan Times threw light on an unambiguous two-phase plan to have double-decker buses off Mumbai’s roads by 2023. That was hardly surprising. Even in the best of times, the growth of double-decker buses in India had been marked by a slow and sometimes painful trundle. I am referring to the early 1950s when most state transport corporations were pinning their faith on these behemoths to provide efficient transport in urban centres.
CHENNAI, 05/06/2007: Old Bus in New Look: New technique to publicity for the film Sivaji on double decker 18A bus plying at Anna Salai in Chennai on ,June 05, 2007. Photo: M. Karunakaran
Madras is a classic case in point. In 1953, a double-decker made at the Hindustan Aircraft Limited (which became Hindustan Aeronautics Limited following its amalgamation with Aeronautics India Limited in 1964) in Bengaluru was put on a trial run in Madras, with much fanfare. However, a clutch of challenges, including overhead tram cables (vestiges of a discontinued transport service) came in the way, and it took nearly 17 more years for double-deckers to become a part of the city’s road transport. Even then, it hardly made an integral part. Over the following decades, this flamboyant mode of transport progressed in fits and starts until its complete disappearance from the city in 2008.
Stories from other metros that had invested much more in double-deckers are not significantly different. Around 120 double-deckers are said to be plying on Mumbai’s roads. During their heyday in Mumbai, seven times as many double-deckers loomed over its roads.
Kolkata, Hyderabad and Delhi are among others that were quick off the block. A report carried in The Hindu in December 1950 underlines how keen the West Bengal administration was in promoting these buses. Its Director of Transport HD Chaudhiri had headed to Bengaluru to receive four out of an order of 10 double-deckers it had placed with HAL. Around the same time, the Bengaluru-based HAL had received a work order for another ten from the Delhi Transport Authority.
Reading between the lines, one could sense West Bengal straining at the leash to have large numbers of these machines rolling down its roads, in the process vying with other metros to get there first.
Later, The Hindu reported a high-profile event in Hyderabad, where a 100-seater double-decker made by Allwyn, an Andhra Pradesh state undertaking, was presented to Delhi. Despite quickly integrating double-deckers into their road transport systems, Kolkata and Hyderabad could not sustain the early momentum. For many, trams and double-deckers are icons symbolising Kolkata. But today, the city operates only one service of double-deckers, in New Town, primarily to cater to visitors to an eco park and an eco village.
Three months ago, there was an official announcement indicating a move to revive Kolkata’s deep romance with double-deckers. If it does, that will be a great thing to happen. A similar indication came from Bengaluru last year, which was however followed by reports explaining why the plan has not got off the ground.
From what has gone before, one thing is clear. While planning a revival of double-deckers in any Indian metro, the goals have to be realistic. Whenever double-deckers were phased out of an Indian metro, most or all of the following factors would have been at work. High maintenance costs, outdated buses that failed to meet new emission norms and challenges in road infrastructure affecting manoeuvrability.
But, double-deckers still have a place in every Indian metro, as a component keeping the heritage machine running. Let us look westward for a second. The city of London has had an extremely successful run with double-deckers. They thrive as a commuting option and are on the threshold of going electric. Optare PLC, which is a subsidiary of Ashok Leyland Limited, has clinched the deal to provide electric double-deckers to London.
In my opinion, there isn’t a lesson for us there. But there is one coming from the Heritage Route 15 that London has kept alive to celebrate some of its iconic buildings as well as a vintage double-decker marque AEC Routemaster.
In our country, there is a clear case for chain-linking heritage as well as tourism to double-deckers. The number of double-deckers with the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation now can be counted on the fingers of one’s hand, but it uses these machines judiciously as just an added attraction to regular services in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.
So, here is the conclusion of the matter: Let every city have a heritage route that can be experienced from the upper deck.
