With BEST upgrading its double-decker fleet to air-conditioned buses, the iconic open-deck Nilambari buses — once a beloved symbol of Mumbai — have vanished for good. Despite earlier assurances to revive them, the undertaking has failed to deliver on its promise.
 
Popular among citizens and tourists alike, and often used for major city events and victory parades, the Nilambari bus was notably used during the T20 World Cup victory parade in 2007. Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his team were welcomed with cheers from Mumbaikars as they travelled from the airport to Wankhede Stadium aboard the bus.

The Nilambari was also sent 1600 km away to Hyderabad in 2016 for the victory procession of Olympic silver medalist PV Sindhu and her coach, Pullela Gopichand, at the request of local authorities. However, the buses were scrapped in 2022 after reaching the end of their operational lifespan. Although BEST had promised a revival, it never materialised. For Team India’s T20 World Cup victory parade in July 2024, with no open-deck buses left in Mumbai, the authorities had to procure one from a Gujarat-based company. The last open deck bus was scrapped in 2023.

The Nilambari was sent to Hyderabad in 2016 for the victory procession of Olympic silver medalist PV Sindhu