2017-08-07 Mon

The arteries of Mumbai’s transport are the BEST buses which have run in this city for nearly 100 years. If even one day this public transport is not working the daily routine of this city is disturbed. So have you ever thought when the lifeline of this metropolis came into existence? What is the story behind it!

So let's go on a journey where we can explore the time and life of BEST. It all started in 1873 when Bombay Tramway Company Limited was given the license to operate trams in the city. The BMC could purchase this Company after a stipulated term of 7 or 20 years. But in reality, it happened after 40 years!

Before 1905 the Trams were pulled by horses in Mumbai but when the Bombay Electric Supply & Tramways Company Limited (B.E.S. & T Co. Ltd.) bought the Bombay Tramway Company Limited. This transaction resulted in the appearance of first electrically operated trams on Mumbai's roads in 1907.

In 1913 there was a debate in the Mumbai municipality whether to introduce motor buses to supplement the tramway service in the city. The main factor against its introduction was the high accident rate for a similar service in London. On 15 July 1926, 24 single-deck buses started operating on three routes and this way the journey of this Red bus transport started.

The first year of his service BEST, this transport was used by 600,000 passengers. But the end of its forty-two years the agreement of 7th August 1905 seemly today between Bombay Electric Supply & Tramways Company Limited (B.E.S. & T Co. Ltd.) and BMC this service was handed over to Bombay Municipal cooperation.

BMC had to pay forty-lakh rupees as goodwill to Bombay Electric Supply & Tramways Company Limited (B.E.S. & T Co. Ltd.) and on 15th August 1947 BMC started this Bus service but yet BEST celebrate 7th August as the ‘BEST Day'.

To celebrate the heritage yet active transport of Mumbai Indian post has issued a commemorative stamp.