NEW DELHI: The Delhi government on Friday launched a double-decker bus service aimed at boosting tourism in the national capital, with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta flagging off the vehicles.The chief minister, along with Delhi tourism minister Kapil Mishra and other officials of the department, took a ride on an electric double-decker bus from Rafi Marg to the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya after the launch.The tourism department will operate the bus on a fixed route connecting key landmarks in central Delhi. The proposed circuit includes Bharat Mandapam, the National War Memorial, the new Parliament complex, Dilli Haat and other prominent sites, a senior official said.Evening tours are also planned, and the route has been largely finalised, he said, adding that since the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya closes at 6 pm, the tour will begin from the museum and then proceed to other destinations.The double-decker bus can accommodate over 63 passengers besides the driver. An official said the service is intended for both domestic and foreign tourists and has been designed to operate in Lutyens’ Delhi, without issues related to overhead electric wires or low tree canopies. The fare has been fixed at Rs 500 for adults and Rs 300 for children between six and twelve years of age. A trained guide will be on board to brief passengers on the historical and cultural significance of the locations covered during the tour, officials said.Two double-decker buses are planned to be made operational as part of the initiative. The launch marks a revival of a format once familiar to Delhiites, as double-decker buses were earlier operated by the Delhi Transport Corporation as ‘Suvidha’ services before being phased out in 1989 due to the withdrawal of an ageing fleet.
