A bus, a letterbox and a forgotten Mumbai
In the late 1920s, buses in Mumbai carried scarlet-red letterboxes fitted in their middle sections, allowing passengers to drop off letters while traveling through the city. This innovative service, which operated from 1928 to 1930, aimed to encourage more people to use the buses. However, the letterboxes were eventually discontinued.
The BEST Museum, located in Sion, preserves various objects that offer glimpses into Mumbai's transportation history, including the letterboxes. The museum's collection also includes a bell punch machine used to mark pre-printed tickets, a brass table fan used for advertising, and a photograph of a service tram used as a mobile repair unit.
BEST's first motor bus service began in July 1926, quickly growing in popularity, with nearly six lakh passengers using it in its first six months.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
