With AC lower deck, BEST invites proposals for wet leasing 10 open double decker-electric buses

Mumbai’s iconic non-AC open double-decker buses, which were a prominent part of the city’s tourism, ceased operations last October due to the ageing fleet and lack of replacements. These buses were popular for offering tourists a distinctive way to explore key attractions like the Gateway of India, Flora Fountain, and Colaba. Having initiated the open double-decker tourist service in collaboration with the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) in 1997, BEST has a rich history of serving tourists.

With the discontinuation of the open double-decker buses for regular commuters, BEST is now seeking a wet lease contract to continue the service.

Under the wet leasing arrangement, the selected contractor will manage crew salaries and operational expenses, covering fuel and maintenance. BEST will compensate the contractor based on the kilometres operated. The specified requirement for the 10 open double-decker buses with AC lower decks is an annual assured distance of 54,000 kilometres.

As per the BEST mandated rule, “the operating schedule will be provided by BEST and the appointed agency has to ensure uninterrupted operation of these buses, with adequate spare buses. Failure to maintain continuous operation will result in penalty by non-payment towards the assured kilometres for that entire day per instance and if the instance keeps recurring for a longer period of time then the BEST may resort to termination of contract.”