To offer easier access to tourist hotspots of the State, the Jharkhand Tourism Development Corporation (JTDC) is planning to start nbus services connecting these destinations within and outside the State.
Inter-State and intra-State bus services will be launched next month to address the commutation needs of tourists from Jharkhand and the neighbouring States, stated JTDC managing director Rajiv Ranjan. The corporation has invited proposals from interested bus operators to join various cities in Jharkhand and outside the State.
“We will begin inter-State and intra-State bus services soon. The buses will run from Ranchi to Kolkata, Puri, Benaras and Patna. Those plying within the State will join Ranchi to tourist destinations with Jharkhand like Betla, Netarhat, Parasnath, Maluti, Tarapeeth and others. Buses will be both air-conditioned and non air-conditioned,” Rajan said.
These buses will serve to establish a link between Jharkhand and other states so that tourists from both ends do not find lack of transportation facilities spoiling their vacation plans.
“Presently our connectivity with Benaras is lacking and a bus service will improve this by a great deal. Tourists from Jharkhand often go to Kolkata or Puri, bus network will help tourists from these cities to come to Ranchi too,” said Ranjan.
A similar bus and taxi service will be launched around Deoghar soon, he said.
“On the occasion of Shravani Mela, bus and taxi services connecting tourist spots of religious significance in and around Deoghar will be started soon. Buses will run on the religious circuit between Deoghar and Tarapeeth,” Ranjan said.
Tenders have been floated, inviting bus and taxi operators interested in offering tour packages to devotees visiting Deoghar during the auspicious month.
“Both the tenders will be opened on July 07 and the empanelled bus and taxi operators will be allowed to begin work without delay. We will sign the agreements with them and issue work orders as soon as possible after the operators are empanelled,” Ranjan said.
He further said, “There is no upper limit on the number of bus operators who will be empanelled, as the more the number the better it will be. They will quote relevant fares and we will try to arrive on an amount which is unanimously accepted by all the operators and attracts more and more tourists too.”