Double-decker buses set for comeback after three decades

After more than three decades, double-decker buses may once again be plying on Delhi’s roads, this time as a dedicated tourism service connecting some of the Capital’s most prominent attractions.

The initiative aims to offer visitors a smoother sightseeing experience, with routes covering the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya, the National War Memorial and Bharat Mandapam. The service is expected to begin in February, according to Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra.

Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra said that the service would begin in February as part of efforts to offer tourists an improved sightseeing experience in the national capital. Evening tours are also being planned, with the route largely finalised, an official said.

Two double-decker buses are planned to be operational around February 20, the one-year anniversary of the Government in Delhi, he said.

The electric bus, manufactured by Ashok Leyland and provided under a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative, was initially stationed at the Okhla depot under the transport department before being handed over to the tourism department.

“The tourism department now plans to operate the bus from the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya to popular destinations such as Bharat Mandapam, the National War Memorial, the new Parliament complex, Dilli Haat and other sites,” a senior official said.

The department has sought time from the chief minister’s office for the formal inauguration, he said.  Measuring 9.8 metres in length and 4.75 metres in height, the bus offers seating for more than 63 passengers in addition to the driver’s position. Officials said the service is aimed at both domestic and foreign tourists and can operate in Lutyens’ Delhi without issues related to overhead wires or low tree canopies.

“Since the museum closes by 6 pm, the tour will start from there and then proceed to other destinations,” the official said, adding that the bus is likely to be decorated with images of major attractions such as India Gate, the Signature Bridge and Bharat Mandapam. The fare has been fixed at Rs 500 for adults and Rs 300 for children aged between six and twelve years. A guide will be on board to brief passengers about the historical and cultural significance of each location.

Targeted tours focusing on marketplaces and heritage monuments were also discussed, but officials felt the model would work better for historical sites than for commercial areas.

Double-decker buses were once a common sight in Delhi. The Delhi Transport Corporation operated them as ‘Suvidha’ buses before phasing them out in 1989 due to an ageing fleet. With this new tourism service, the iconic buses are set to return to Delhi roads, this time with sightseeing firmly on the agenda. Attempts to bring them back for the 2010 Commonwealth Games and again in 2022 ahead of the G20 Summit did not materialise after feasibility studies raised concerns, said DTC officials. In 2011, the then Delhi government even considered the idea of using open-top double-decker buses on tourist routes in the city as part of the “Hop On Hop Off (HoHo)” buses, which was active then. The HoHo buses were low-floor air-conditioned buses that ferry passengers to and fro 19 tourist spots in the city, allowing people to board on and off from the service at the tourist spots at their convenience.

In 2022, Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL) had earmarked 1,500 electric buses, including 100 double-deckers, for Delhi in anticipation of an influx of officials and tourists from across the world. However, subsequent feasibility studies found the plan unviable. At present, DTC operates more than 3,500 electric buses, with the fleet expected to cross 6,000 by the end of the year.