Thursday, May 03, 2007

Boeing 737 abandoned on Mumbai road

MumnaiLast weekend, a decommissioned Air Sahara Boeing 737 -- minus its wings and tail section -- was supposed to be trucked from Mumbai to Delhi, reportedly to be used at a flight training academy. It didn't get very far.

BBC News is reporting that the B737 fuselage was being hauled through the streets of Mumbai when the driver apparently got lost. After taking a wrong turn, he came to an overpass that was too low for the plane to pass through.

The driver just bolted -- abandoned the truck with the plane, and disappeared. Ever since, the thing has been sitting where the driver left it.

The BBC says that it has become a bit of a tourist attraction, with people coming from all over the city just to have a look at it. But merchants and residents in the immediate area are not amused. Residents say they assumed that the 'authorities' would do something quickly to remove the huge roadblock, but so far it is not clear who is responsible for the aircraft. So it just sits there, immobile, blocking traffic and impeding local commerce.

One shopkeeper said, "I don't know how they are going to take it out because you can't reverse it, its too big, and you can't go further down the road."

I have a feeling that this fuselage eventually will be leaving the neighborhood in much smaller pieces. File this one under 'odd.'

[Photo Source]