Hyderabad: Decades-old residents of Hyderabad want the Congress government to bring back on roads double-decker buses of the RTC, saying that besides serving more people on busy routes, these were part of the city’s heritage and evoked a sense of nostalgia.
Transport experts said that even if the buses are plying barren throughout the day, they can be made a special part of the TSRTC service or attached with the tourism department to specifically offer rides in such double-decker vehicles, for a novel experience.
Mohammed Younis, a retired Sports Authority of Telangana official, said, “In 1962, I was an employee of Railways and my regular bus was the No. 7 double-decker vehicle from Secunderabad to Afzalgunj. From there, I used to walk to the High Court, where I used to live. For most Hyderabad natives, these double-decker buses have a nostalgic connect.”
While the double-decker buses made a comeback to the city roads around a year ago, they have remained out of public reach. These were initially flagged off and used to ferry visitors to the first Formula E race in the city in February 2023, after which it was reserved for official events.
HMDA officials had also stated then that the buses were only for official use and for tours, to add to the glamour quotient of the city in the eyes of tourists.
On Tuesday, HMDA officials said these buses were operating on routes covering important landmarks and that the public can also use them. “If someone waves their hand and requests to get into the bus, they are allowed to get into the bus,” an official said.
