Karnataka: Open-roof tourist bus service to resume from September 4 in Mysuru

The ‘Hop-on-hop-off’ buses will take tourists to the heritage sites of Mysuru. The ride will start from the KSTDC office at Hotel Mayura Hoysala on the JLB Road, cover Deputy Commissioner’s Office, Kukkarahalli Lake, Crawford Hall, Ramaswamy Circle, Sanskrit Patashaala, K R Circle, Dodda Gadiyara (Silver Jubilee Clock Tower), Palace South Gate, Hardinge Circle, Mysuru Zoo, Karanji Lake, Government Guest House, St Philomena’s Church, Bannimantap, Government Ayurveda College Circle, Railway Station Circle and end at Hotel Mayura Hoysala.

The service will be available between 9.30 am and 5.30 pm. Siddalingaswamy said, “The tour will be operated at different schedules till 5.30pm. Each passenger will be charged Rs 250 for a round trip of the city covering 35 tourist spots.”

Senior officials of the KSTDC said in the Ambaari buses, tourists will be guided by audio clips in Kannada and English when the buses reach the sites. The department is also planning to introduce other Indian and foreign languages once the footfall of tourists increases in the city.

“After the lockdown, the department had resumed the service in August but had withdrawn it since the demand was low,” said an official.

The KSTDC has deployed four Ambaari buses in the state — two in Hampi and two in Mysuru.

According to officials, each bus will have a seating capacity of 40 persons (20 seats each in the upper and lower decks). The lower deck of the buses will be air-conditioned, while the upper level will be open-roofed.

The Ambaari double-decker bus service is inspired by the London Big Bus.