BALLARI: Amidst uncertainty over keeping Hampi monuments open for the tourists, the authorities have announced that the electric buggy services which was on hold due to Covid19 lockdown will resume by August month.
About ten new buggies are expected to be lined up for tourists who wish to visit different locations in Hampi. The officials from the Hampi World Heritage Area Management Authority (HWHAMA) have said that besides buggies, the tender process for rail buses is also being finalised.
Hampi was opened for tourists from June 6 after a lockdown of nearly three months. In the last two weeks hundreds of tourists have visited Hampi and surrounding areas. "This is a large tourism project initiated by the HWHAMA in the recent times. The buggies have already arrived at Ballari and soon they will be brought to Hampi. The tourists will have much safer and easier option of visiting the monuments in the buggies. Currently there are eight buggies and ten more will be added to the fleet," said an official.
The officials said that all the buggies will have women drivers and the same will be done when rail-bus arrives at Hampi for the tourists. At present the buggy service is available only at the Vijaya Vittala temple complex but now the facility will be extended to other monuments as well in Hampi.
"Each buggy costs about Rs 6 lakh and the present fleet of buggies is in good condition. Once the rail-bus service beings in Hampi the tourists can hop-on and hop-off from anywhere in Hampi along the dedicated route. As there are no vehicles are allowed in and around Hampi monuments buggies which are operated on battery are the most suited transport to cover the monuments," the official noted.