Double decker buses to return on roads, linking iconic sites

Double-decker buses are set for a return to the roads of Delhi, with the Government planning to start one such bus from Pradhanmantri Sanghrahalaya to other iconic locations like the National War Memorial and Bharat Mandapam.

The electric bus, manufactured and provided by Ashok Leyland under a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, was given to the transport department and was earlier stationed at the Okhla depot.

Later, the transport department handed it over to the tourism department. “The tourism department now plans to ply the bus from the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya to other popular sites like the Bharat Mandapam, War Memorial, the new Parliament complex, Dilli Haat, and others, for tourists,” a senior official informed.

There are plans to have evening tours, with the route more or less finalised and is likely to be flagged off within a month, he said.

The official said they have sought a time from the chief minister’s office for the flag-off ceremony and once it is done, the bus will soon be plying on the roads of Delhi.

Measuring 9.8 metres in length and 4.75 metres in height, the bus offers seating for more than 63 passengers in addition to the driver’s position.

“Through this, we plan to target foreigners and tourists who visit Delhi,” the official said, adding that the bus can be operated in Lutyens’ Delhi since there is no issue of dangling overhead wires, shorter tree canopies.

“Since the museum closes by 6 pm, we will start the tour from there, and then proceed to other destinations,” he added. The bus is likely to be adorned with pictures of popular tourist attractions such as the Signature Bridge, India Gate, and Bharat Mandapam on it. The bus ride will be priced at Rs 500 for adults and Rs 300 for children aged between six and twelve. There will be a guide on board to inform tourists about the significance of the sites they would be visiting, the official added.

In her budget speech, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had announced that her government will develop a new tourist circuit covering the War Memorial, Kartavya Path, the Prime Minister’s Museum, and the new Parliament complex.

The tourism department had also discussed plans of reviving the ‘hop on-hop off’ (Ho-Ho) buses model, which was stalled in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic. However, officials said, for a place like Delhi, the model may not be sustainable. “Abroad, the Ho-Ho buses are available at regular intervals. But in Delhi, that won’t be possible considering the traffic situation,” he said.

“There were plans for targeted tours, like visits to marketplaces, heritage monuments, etc, and allotting brightly coloured buses for that. But it was felt that, while people might visit heritage monuments, they won’t like visiting malls or markets on buses,” the official added.

Double-decker buses were once a staple of Delhi’s roads, operated by the DTC as “Suvidha buses”. They disappeared in 1989, phased out as the ageing fleet wore down.