Three double-decker electric-buses arrived in Hyderabad on Tuesday, 7 February, at a time when the city is observing E-mobility week, ahead of the Formula E-Prix scheduled on 11 February.
Till the race, the buses will ply on the Formula E race track on the Tank Bund, Necklace Road, Paradise and Nizam College stretch, Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) PRO B Ramulu told South First.
After the race, the e-buses will be used on a heritage circuit to give tourism a boost in the city, he added.
The buses are expected take a leisurely drive on city roads as they take tourists to major Hyderabad attractions, such as the Golconda fort, Charminar, Hussain Sagar, the Qutub Shahi Tombs, and the Salar Jung Museum, among others.
The buses were flagged off by Telangana Chief Secretary A Santhi Kumar in the presence of Telangana IT & Urban Affairs Minister KT Rama Rao and Chandrayangutta MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi.
The return of the double-deckers will likely evoke nostalgia among the city’s older residents.
Till 2003, double-deckers were very much a party of Hyderabad’s public transport, although they were not e-vehicles. They were phased out that year.
#Hyderabad: More visuals of electric double-decker buses arriving in #Hyderabad ahead of #HyderabadEPrix on 11 Feb.
#FormulaE @FIAFormulaE @AceNxtGen @KTRBRS @akbarowaisii @TheSouthfirst pic.twitter.com/beo9InilvB
— Ajay Tomar (@ajaytomarasks) February 7, 2023
Also read: Hyderabad E-Prix racecars, parts arrives at GMR Hyderabad
3 more e-double-deckers to arrive soon
The HMDA had placed an order for six electric double-decker e-buses. While three e-buses have arrived, the HMDA said the remaining three buses are also expected to arrive soon.
According to sources, the HMDA plans to extend the fleet of electric double-decker buses to 20.
The HMDA said that the price of each e-bus is ₹2.16 crore and comes with an Annual Maintenance Contact (AMC) for seven years.
Apart from the driver, the AC buses have a seating capacity of 65 passengers and seats are as comfortable as those of cars.
With a range of 150 km on a single charge, these electric double-decker buses can be charged completely in two to two-and-a-half hours.
The fare would be comparable to, or marginally higher than, the Hyderabad Metro’s ₹65 maximum ticket price, South First has learnt.
The sources added that the booking counters, including parking facilities, would be at the NTR Garden and Sanjeevaiah Park.
Also read: E-Prix in India starts with Hyderabad E-Mobility Week
A bit of double-decker history
The double-decker buses were first introduced in 1946 by the Nizam’s Transport Services during the reign of the seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan.
A set of 30 Albion CX 19 models was brought from England to Hyderabad at that time.
The 56-seater buses were shipped by sea in a knocked-down state, and Hyderabad Allwyn Metal Works Limited put them back together in the city.
The buses operated in Hyderabad along several routes, including between Secunderabad and Rajendranagar’s Nehru Zoological Park, Nampally and Charminar, and Mehdipatnam and Dilsukhnagar.
They were phased out in 2003 due to the construction of flyovers, mounting losses, and high operating costs.
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 Garu? https://t.co/ceEGclQLFz
— KTR (@KTRBRS) November 7, 2020
