Uploaded April 2018 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
BEST was originally set up in 1873 as a tramway company called "Bombay Tramway Company Limited". The company set up a captive thermal power station at the Wadi bunder in November 1905 to generate electricity for its trams and positioned it to also supply electricity to the city and re-branded itself to "Bombay Electric Supply & Tramways (BEST)" Company.
In 1899, the Bombay Tramway Company applied to the municipality to operate electric trams. In 1904, the British Electric Traction Company applied for a license to supply electricity to the city with the Brush Electrical Engineering Company its agent. It received the Bombay electric license on 31 July 1905, signed by Bombay Tramways Company, the Bombay Municipality and the Brush Electrical Company. In 1905, the Bombay Electric Supply and Tramway Company (BEST) was formed. BEST received a monopoly on electric supply and an electric tram service in the city, and bought the Bombay Tramway Company's assets for ₹9,850,000. Two years later, the first electric tram debuted in the city. Later that year, a 4,300 kilowatts (5,800 hp) steam power generator was commissioned at Wari Bunder. In 1916 a power purchase from Tata Power (a private company) began, and by 1925 all power generation was outsourced from Tata. To ease rush-hour traffic, double-decker trams were introduced in September 1920.
At that time, Bombay (present Mumbai) was the first Indian city to have double-decker public transport. The electric tram service couldn’t handle the city’s growing population and was eventually phased out, but not before connecting the southern and central neighbourhoods of the city. At 10p.m. on 31 March 1964, the last tram left Bori Bunder for Dadar.
The trams met travellers' needs until the betterment of the city's train network, and the service closed on 31 March 1964.
BEST was originally set up in 1873 as a tramway company called "Bombay Tramway Company Limited". The company set up a captive thermal power station at the Wadi bunder in November 1905 to generate electricity for its trams and positioned it to also supply electricity to the city and re-branded itself to "Bombay Electric Supply & Tramways (BEST)" Company.
In 1899, the Bombay Tramway Company applied to the municipality to operate electric trams. In 1904, the British Electric Traction Company applied for a license to supply electricity to the city with the Brush Electrical Engineering Company its agent. It received the Bombay electric license on 31 July 1905, signed by Bombay Tramways Company, the Bombay Municipality and the Brush Electrical Company. In 1905, the Bombay Electric Supply and Tramway Company (BEST) was formed. BEST received a monopoly on electric supply and an electric tram service in the city, and bought the Bombay Tramway Company's assets for ₹9,850,000. Two years later, the first electric tram debuted in the city. Later that year, a 4,300 kilowatts (5,800 hp) steam power generator was commissioned at Wari Bunder. In 1916 a power purchase from Tata Power (a private company) began, and by 1925 all power generation was outsourced from Tata. To ease rush-hour traffic, double-decker trams were introduced in September 1920.
At that time, Bombay (present Mumbai) was the first Indian city to have double-decker public transport. The electric tram service couldn’t handle the city’s growing population and was eventually phased out, but not before connecting the southern and central neighbourhoods of the city. At 10p.m. on 31 March 1964, the last tram left Bori Bunder for Dadar.
The trams met travellers' needs until the betterment of the city's train network, and the service closed on 31 March 1964.
