Hop-on, hop-off: With brand new coach, scheme gets second lease of life

The new Hop-on, Hop -off bus at Chandigarh on Saturday. Sahil Walia

TOURISTS can explore the charm of City Beautiful from the roof of a brand new double-decker open bus as the Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation (CITCO) launched a revamped hop-on-hop-off bus tour on Saturday. The new bus was flagged off by local Member of Parliament Kirron Kher. The old double-decker deluxe coach, started in 2001, had been taken off the road recently.

And unlike the earlier tour, restricted to twice a day, the new tourist coach will ply between 8 am and 7 pm throughout the week. The major destinations it will cover include the Rose Garden in Sector 16, the Museum and Art Gallery in Sector 10, the Bougainvillea Garden in Sector 3, the Rock Garden before culminating at Sukhna Lake. Tourists can enjoy all the spots as the Double Decker Tourist Coach will provide ample opportunity form them to spend as much as time as they want at a particular spot.

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CITCO Managing Director Kavita Singh said: “The Chandigarh administration has always endeavoured to add attractive features to attract tourists from all across the country. Besides the tourist destinations this machine will be an added attraction, not only for tourists, but for residents as well”.

“It is for the first time that double-decker tourist coach ferry tourists daily on a designated route from 8 am to 7 pm. The bus shall move between Hotel Shivalikview in Sector 17 to Sukhna Lake and shall cover all major spots of the city,” the MD added.

The new red-coloured 66-seater bus has a public address system (PA) to impart information about the tourist spots while on the wheels; CITCO has spent Rs 37 lakh on the bus. The exterior of the bus has been beautifully designed, highlighting all architectural marvels of the city and gives an insight into its prominent tourist spots.