Delhi: Soon, purple buses will ferry tourist to popular destinations

New Delhi, Oct 10 (PTI) Tourists will soon be able to visit popular sites in the New Delhi area -- from Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya to the Dilli Haat -- aboard buses adorned in purple and depicting landmark sites like the Signature Bridge and Bharat Mandapam.

According to officials, the Delhi government's tourism department plans to start the service either this month or next.

"We are planning to start evening tours from the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya to other popular sites like the Bharat Mandapam, War Memorial, the new Parliament complex, Dilli Haat, and others, for tourists. Through this, we plan to target foreigners and tourists who visit Delhi. We have hired the new nine-metre electric buses from the DTC," the official said.

"Since the museum closes by 6 pm, we will start the tour from there, and then proceed to other destinations," he added.

The buses will sport a purple shade, with pictures of popular tourist attractions such as the Signature Bridge, India Gate, and Bharat Mandapam depicted on them. This will make them distinct from the other buses on roads, the official said.

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 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, officers 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. PTI SLB ARB MPL MPL