BEST signs now museum pieces

The latest additions in the BEST museum at Anik bus depot are the blue-and-red bus poles.

Once the city’s ubiquitous bus stop symbol, they are gradually being replaced with new swank bus stops.

“This is not about totally phasing out bus poles but about conserving a sample of the bygone era. Bus poles continue to remain at some places and will be there but they are in dwindling numbers and the new steel bus stops are slowly replacing the older ones,” said a BEST official at their Colaba headquarters.

The old bus stops were not dedicated areas but only had a pole with the bus number and the stop.

“They originated from an era when trams plied through crowded areas where there was no need for a full-fledged bus stop. The pole stop just has bus numbers and the name of the stop where it is located. They are somewhat similar to the design of bus stop poles in London,” he added.

“The bus stop pole that has been brought to the museum is from Mumbai Central and the writing is in English. The existing ones are in Marathi. Bus poles with English signage and flag plates were discontinued about a decade ago,” he added.

The bus stop pole has been kept on display along with the BEST’s antique Victorian-era furniture that were used in their offices.

It has signages reading ‘Bombay Municipality’ and ‘Buses Stop Here’.

The transport and electric museum at Anik bus depot houses old memorabilia belonging to the BEST.

The antique pieces on display are old chassis of buses, ticket vending machines and street light poles and signals.

Also on display are old tram seats and model replicas of a variety of fleet of buses that have been owned and operated by the company.

“The museum and its relics are quite popular among children. The museum is open on Saturdays and Sundays too,” said a BEST spokesperson.