Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Mar 27: The district administration is making efforts to see that the tourist bus service that is run with the involvement of Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) resumes operations soon. These buses help people to visit tourist places located within the city limits.
Dakshina Kannada district deputy commissioner Dr Rajendra K V, has requested the secretary in the department of tourism, Pankaj Kumar Pandey, to reintroduce the bus. Pandey has positively responded to this request. Therefore, the bus service, which is presently suspended, may begin to be operated again soon.
Representational image
The bus that was being run in the past used to visit various tourist spots from morning to evening. It used to pick tourists from Lalbagh and visit Kudroli temple, Kadri temple, St Aloysian chapel, Pilikula Nisargadhama, Tannirbhavi Tree Park, beach and then reach Lalbagh. Along with the tourists, even the locals utilised this service. The ticket was priced reasonably and students got concessions.
After the lockdown, the tourism sector is also showing signs of recovery. It is convenient for people if the bus service is stated as hiring of taxis for this purpose becomes costly. Tourist activities too, get organized in the district often and a visit to these programmes help in introducing the Tulunadu culture to the tourists.
The previous bus service was inaugurated on April 17, 2016 by the then tourism minister, R V Deshpande. By the time the monsoon season of that year ended, spare parts of the bus had started to create problems and the bus was sent to Bengaluru within months of its inaugural. That bus has not returned.
Dr Rajendra K V said that hiring of taxis to go to different places is not affordable. He notes that such service is available in Bengaluru, Mysuru etc and said that there is possibility of the service becoming operational soon. Deputy director of tourism, Somashekhar Banavasi, said that the tourism secretary has positively responded to the proposal and once the corporation provides bus, the service can begin. He said that maximum efforts would be made to see that the bus takes to Mangaluru roads again.