Exclusive: Bharat Coach Builders develops customised ‘Presidential Line’ bus

Bharat Coach Builders, the Mumbai-based coachbuilder, has announced its latest product – the ‘Presidential Line’. Three models are being built, one each for the presidents of Senegal, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

The company, which was set up in 1980 and has its buses operating in over 23 countries, calls the bus a business centre on wheels replete with rich plum interiors and considerable real-world polished woodwork.

The bus is divided into four segments, the first being the driver compartment which has sufficient space to house two guards and their equipment. The second is the business area which has six large comfortable seats with a foldable table top with all the necessary electric connections. This compartment also boasts the latest in technology with touch-enabled diffused lighting, music and communication. This section also has monitors for cameras mounted across the bus for security.

The third compartment is a lounge with a sofa-cum-bed. It also has a foldable bed with a wardrobe and a TV. The last section of the Presidential Line bus houses the pantry and the washroom. The pantry can be customised with a variety to equipment right from micro-ovens, fridges, espresso machines to ice-cream dispensers. The washroom is fully furnished and has a chemical toilet which has very low maintenance.

The bus is powered by an Ashok Leyland 185hp engine and is also centrally controlled by a powerful air- conditioner which has its own generator. The bus also comes with a 5 kVA backup generator which is very silent and easy to operate. The backup generator can be used to power all internal systems when the bus is stationary or can be used to power additional electrical appliances. According to Bharat Coach Builders, the bus conforms to all the safety standards that have been prescribed by the newly introduced Bus Body Code of India.

The bus is available in two variants – standard and armored. The armored version comes with all the above-mentioned features but has a host of additional security features. In the armored version, all the glass is of ballistic grade material and bullet-proof. The glass includes the front windscreen, side windows and the door glasses. All the outer panels are lined with armored ballistic grade steel plates and further lined with Kevlar for improved bullet protection. These features, says the company, ensure that the occupants are protected from small firearms and hand guns.