Two years back when the idea of running a “paani wali bus” flowed from Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, his critics termed it as soppy. But, in what could mark a watershed in the State’s transportation history, Sukhbir on Monday successfully launched an amphibious bus — a bus that can run on both water and land.
It was apparently smooth sailing for the Deputy Chief Minister as he rode a high tide after the launch of his dream project.
“Whatever I promised during my tenure, I accomplished and now the likes of Congress and the AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) have been left with no face to show it to the people,” boasted Sukhbir, who was made a butt of jokes couple of years back after his announcement of launching amphibious bus in the state.
He said: “The opposition had dubbed my earlier declarations of making Punjab power surplus and transforming road infrastructure as a ‘stunt’ but now I have fulfilled every promise made by me.”
On forming the government for the third time, all my promises of concretisation of streets and drains of all villages of the State, installing solar lights in villages and providing homes to the homeless by constructing colonies in villages, would also be transformed into reality in next five years, he added.
Terming it as a “first-of-its-kind in northern India”, Sukhbir launched the amphibious bus at Harike Pattan lake and even travelled along with media in the bus to take round of the confluence of Satluj-Beas rivers.
Sukhbir called on his political opponents to come and experience the beauties of nature by travelling in the amphibious bus. “The project would give a big fillip to the tourism sector of Amritsar,” he said adding that his target was to beautify the internal spots of Amritsar holy city during next five years.
He announced that in the next phase, amphibious buses would be launched in Bathinda on the pattern of Harike Pattan.
“During past 10 years, SAD-BJP government has totally transformed Punjab and written new success sagas of prosperity in every sector with each passing day,” he said.
PUNJAB’S FIRST AMPHIBIOUS BUS
The amphibious bus project, being advertised as ‘Harike Water Cruise’ by the state Tourism Department, has come to fruition at a cost of Rs 10 crore. Bus, which will run on selected route, will have a round of the Harike Pattan Chhamb area where visitors can have a close view of migratory birds.
As of now, only one bus will be operational on 17-kilometer route from Amritsar to the Harike wetlands, part of which is road and the other part a waterway, that too based on demand. The 34-seater bus is also equipped with life-jackets for everyone.
The booking for the ride on this amphibious bus can be made from the Tourism Department office at Harike Pattan or Amritsar, and online also at various places in Amritsar.
“The current route of the bus includes a 13-km ride from Amritsar to Harike wetlands, which the bus is expected to traverse over 45 minutes. It will then traverse four km on water. The fare for each trip from Amritsar will be Rs 2,000. There is also an option of a trip of just Harike wetlands which will be charged Rs 800,” a tourism official said.
KNOW AMPHIBIOUS BUSES
An amphibious vehicle (or simply amphibian), is a vehicle that is a means of transport, viable on land as well as on (or under) water. Amphibious vehicles include amphibious bicycles, ATVs, cars, buses, trucks, military vehicles, and hovercraft.
Amphibious buses, world over, are deployed for what is known as ‘duck tours’ for tourists on large lakes or rivers. Duck tours are quite popular in river and lake cities like Austin, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Washington DC and Belfast.
Such buses usually have hydro-jets that propel them in water. The engines are quite powerful and can carry up to 50 passengers on a trip.
While the speed of an amphibious bus is equivalent to a streamer in water, on land, it runs like any other similar-sised vehicle.