Double-decker buses to hit Hyderabad roads soon

Double-decker buses which disappeared long ago will make their re-entry on city roads in the next two months. The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) has decided to operate 25 double-decker buses on the trial basis and invited tenders.

The TSRTC will hold a pre-bid meeting on February 18 at 11 am and will it clear to the manufacturers on the design of the buses.

According to the tender notification, these double-decker buses will be non-AC, and should comply with the BS-VI emission standards. "The bidder shall design, manufacture, test, supply and commission the above buses. The tenderer shall be well established and must have manufacturing and supply facilities of fully built buses in India," the tender notification reads.

"The tender papers could be purchased from the depot from February 11. A pre-bid meeting with interested bidders will be held on February 18 at 11 am. The deadline for filing tenders is February 25.

The buses were phased out from city roads in the early 2000s due to operational and maintenance costs and lack of availability of spare parts.

In November last year, Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao asked the transport minister Puvvada Ajay to check for the possibility of bringing back double-decker buses responding to a netizens tweet.

He said that he used to take the iconic green double-decker bus to school at Abide.