BENGALURU: The ‘Ambaari’ double decker hop on hop off bus service would soon ply during late evening hours in the city.
With summer, day time trips are becoming uncomfortable for people. The state tourism department officials said the bus is also being offered to tourist groups to be used for hosting special events and parties like birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions.
According to Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC), on an average, 350 tourists hop on the bus during weekdays. The officials said the numbers are now reducing because of high temperatures and, often, afternoon services get no tourists.
The bus travels from Ravindra Kalakshetra and back, covering Vidhana Soudha, Cubbon Park, Visvesvaraya Museum and Chinnaswamy Stadium. The tickets costs Rs 180 per person. The open air tourist bus service was reintroduced in Bengaluru after 27 years.
To ensure there are no untoward incidents, the KSTDC coordinated with the Bangalore Electricity Supply Corporation Limited, Greater Bengaluru Authority and state forest department to prune branches and shift utilities.
Tourism secretary KV Trilok Chandra said when the service was introduced the weather was pleasant. The services saw a very good response. Discussions are being held to extend it to late evening hours, not compromising safety of tourists.
He spoke to TNIE at the inauguration of the three-day Travel and Tourism Fair (TTF) organised by the Ministry of Tourism and State Tourism Department. He said the bus can also be booked for special occasions for long durations by citizens. This is the first time such a service is being offered to enhance the tourism experience.