On September 15, Mumbai’s iconic non-AC, diesel-run red double-decker BEST bus plied on the streets of the city one last time. “Mumbai ki apni double-decker buski aakhri savari pe humare saath chaliye,” announced the bus conductor, as the double-decker bus rolled out of the bus depot at Seepz (Andheri East). Commuters, including Pagalpanti actress Kriti Kharbanda, were surprised when they were handed over vintage tickets that looked nothing like the printed ones.

It was an emotional day for the staff as well as Mumbaikars who travelled from various parts of the city for one last ride on the bus.

Kriti Kharbanda joined us on this unforgettable ride with a lot of enthusiasm. While being handed over the ticket from conductor Gopal Sukte, she said, “I can’t believe this is my last ride on this bus. For me, Mumbai is synonymous with these red double-decker buses.”

About her memories attached to these buses, she shared, “When I told my mother about this, she fondly shared one story with me. I remember I came to Mumbai from Bengaluru when I was 11-years-old to shoot an ad. My mom told me, ‘Yaad hai tune kitna halla kiya tha at the bus stop in Andheri? You insisted that mujhe issi bus mein travel karna hai,upar wale floor pe baithke’. Later, I travelled on these buses when I first came to Mumbai to pursue my career in showbiz. It was a joy ride that I took with my friends. I am sure the commuters that are on the bus with us today have such lovely memories too – phir woh chahe romantic yaadein ho ya college ki mastiyaan.”

The Housefull 4 actress says that the bus ticket she bought for this last ride will find a special place in her home. She said, “I have a box which is full of my ‘many first’ memories, like the boarding pass of my first international trip, my first business class ticket, and now this one, which will go right on top as I will never get to ride this bus again!”

Marking the last journey of the bus, the staff including the driver and the conductor got emotional and interacted with commuters. Conductor Sachin Waghmare shared some memories and encouraged commuters to share their memories. A diary was also circulated among commuters to pen their thoughts about their last ride.

“There are many unforgettable memories attached to these buses. Kuch aise pal bhi hai jisme chhutte paison ke liye hamari aur commuters ke beech mein ann-bann ho jaati thi, lekin doosre din sab bhool kar wapas hum issi bus mein milte the aur safar shuru karte the. I hope hamara yeh safar buss chalta rahe,” Waghmare signed off on an emotional note.

- The iconic red buses have a history that dates back to 1937 when they were introduced to tackle the city’s growing traffic.

- Modelled after the motorized double-decker buses of London, Mumbai’s BEST-operated double-deckers became an integral part of the city.

- The first Limited Bus service in Mumbai started between Colaba and Mahim in 1940.

- In the 1960s around 900 of these buses plied in the city, but eventually, the number dwindled to 48.