Mysuru: Mysuru city turns into a fairyland during ‘Nada Habba Dasara’. The festival is incomplete for Mysureans and visitors without a round on the illuminated roads, enjoying the beauty, during the 10-day festivities. The joy is doubled on the open roof double decker bus - Ambaari.
Ambaaris are operated by Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC). The striking wine-purple colour bus, with an elephant motif and huge windows, gives the tourists a complete coverage of the illuminated roads and surroundings. The buses will be in service from October 15 to 24. There will be three trips of Ambaari buses. They will be operated from 6 pm, 8 pm and 9 pm from the premises of Hotel Mayura Hoysala. It will have 25 seats in the lower deck and 20 seats in the upper deck. The ticket price will be Rs 250 for the lower deck and Rs 500 for the upper deck, this year.
This initiative aims to offer a distinctive view of the festivities, creating lasting memories for those who partake in the Dasara celebrations.
Speaking to DH, KSTDC Joint Director M K Savitha said, “Six buses will be operated during Dasara. While five buses will be on trips, one bus will be kept as a backup, in case of emergencies. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will inaugurate the services on October 15. We plan to take the CM, District In-charge Minister H C Mahadevappa and Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on a city round, atop the bus. Online bookings are on and those interested can book tickets on www.kstdc.co’’.
Route
The bus starts from Hotel Mayura Hoysala on JLB Road and returns via Old Deputy Commissioner’s officer, Crawford Hall, Oriental Central Library, Ramaswamy Circle, Sanskrit Patashala, Mysuru Palace South Gate, Jayamarthanda Gate, Hardinge Circle, K R Circle, Ayurveda Medical College and Railway Station.
Ambaari recorded a revenue of Rs 28.21 lakh during Dasara last year. The KSTDC expects good revenue this year too.
Pranav, a resident of Mysuru, claimed that he and his friends wanted to travel on the hop-on-hop-off double decker bus last Dasara, but had to return disappointed as the tickets were sold out. This year, we plan to book online and well in advance, he said.
Raghavendra, a driver of Ambaari, said that it was a great experience to drive the bus, especially during Dasara. “The passengers get super excited, to see the city illuminated with colourful lights. There is a CCTV camera on the upper deck of the bus and the driver can keep a watch on what is happening,” he said.