Double-decker buses set to power Delhi tourism after almost four decades

Double-decker buses, frequently seen in yesteryear Bollywood films, are returning to the Delhi roads after a gap of almost four decades. In an initiative to promote tourism in Delhi, open-top electric double-decker bus service was launched on Friday, with the promise of a premium international experience. Still in the pilot stage, the government plans to launch two to three more buses within a month.     

 

In 1989, a majority of the double-decker fleet was removed in Delhi due to high maintenance cost and operational issues.  In Mumbai, these buses officially retired in 2023 after being around for some 80 years amid much nostalgia.

 

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta flagged off the tourist service that will cover many landmark sites in the city. Taking off from Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya (Prime Ministers’ Museum), the bus will take tourists to prominent spots including Bharat Mandapam, National War Memorial, the new Parliament complex, Dilli Haat, among others.

 

“We want to showcase the culture of Delhi and reshape the capital as a key tourist destination,” said Gupta at the bus launch. The government will take feedback on the initiative and the route before making a further decision. Pre-bookings for the ride will start soon, with tickets priced at ~500 for adults and ~300 for children.

 

“No other city offers a blend of British heritage and modern facilities like Delhi. There is no reason tourism should not grow,” said Delhi’s Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra.

 

The 63-seater open-top bus, manufactured by Ashok Leyland's arm Switch Mobility, was gifted to the city’s tourism department as a corporate social responsibility initiative.

 

“People see Delhi as a stop before visiting Agra or Jaipur. We are hoping to change that while keeping the city’s pollution crisis in mind,” said Dheeraj Hinduja, executive chairman of Ashok Leyland. Noting the demand for double-decker buses, Hinduja said: “We have already delivered 110 buses and have orders for 40 more from different parts of the country.”

 

Ashok Leyland is the only firm manufacturing double-decker electric buses in the country.

 

The launch is aligned with the Delhi government’s push for electric vehicles (EVs). “Our vision is that EVs should dominate public vehicles in the city in the coming years. Under that, whatever transportation we offer for tourism, will be electric,” said Mishra.

 

Being bullish on India’s EV transition, Hinduja noted that the country is now ahead of its global peers in adoption. “Switch Mobility will close the current financial year with around 2,000 electric buses. Our order book for next year is already at 2,500 units. Moreover, we have also launched electric trucks in the 90 and 55 tonne category,” he added.

 

Finance remains a bottleneck in adoption, he pointed out. “Battery cost is high, but it is coming down and the cost may reach parity with diesel,” he said, adding that the total cost of ownership for electric vehicles is much lower.

 

On February 9, the Delhi CM had launched 500 electric buses, taking the total EV fleet of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) to over 4,000. “We aim to have 14,000 EV buses by 2028,” she had then said. Currently, Delhi has the highest EV bus fleet followed by Maharashtra, Karnataka, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.