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Double-decker buses back on Hyderabad city roads after 20 yrs
- MA&UD Minister K T Rama Rao and Chief Secretary A Santi Kumari flag off three electric double- decker buses
- Have a seating capacity of 65 passengers plus driver and will be completely electric with a range of 150 km in a single charge and can be charged fully in 2-2.5 hours
Hyderabad: Hyderabad's iconic double decker buses are back on city roads with a new look and are based on the latest technology. These buses were started by the Nizam of Hyderabad and were withdrawn from roads in 2003. Now with the initiative of the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) department and Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), the double decker buses were launched on Tuesday.
MA&UD Minister K T Rama Rao and Chief Secretary A Santi Kumari flagged off three Electric double- decker buses. With the Formula E-prix scheduled in Hyderabad on February 11, these buses will be predominantly plying around the racetrack covering Tank Bund, Necklace Road, Paradise and Nizam College stretch. "After February 11, the buses will be used along a heritage circuit to augment tourism for the city. These buses were procured by HMDA, which will manage and operate them," said a senior officer at HMDA.
Following a request from a citizen on Twitter, KTR, reminiscing fond memories of traveling in those buses, instructed the officials to explore the possibility of bringing back double decker buses. "I have many fond memories of riding the double decker bus on my way to St George's Grammar School at Abids. Not sure why they were taken off the roads. Any chance we can bring them back Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay?" he tweeted in November 2020. "As per the minister's instructions, HMDA placed an order for six E-Double Decker buses out of which three were bought back on roads. The remaining three buses are also expected to ply soon. HMDA plans to extend this fleet up to 20 buses. The price of each bus is Rs 2.16 crore which comes with an annual maintenance contract (AMC) of 7 years," said the officer.
The buses have a seating capacity of 65 passengers plus driver and will be completely electric with a range of 150 km in a single charge and can be charged fully in 2-2.5 hours. The total length of these buses is 9.8m and height is 4.7m.
