The first fleet of 14 colourful ‘HoHos’—a common feature in several other tourist-friendly cities of the world—were flagged-off by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, prompting cheers that have become rare in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games.
Though the service’s launch obviously coincides with the games, it would become a permanent feature of Delhi’s transport, making visits to monuments like the Red Fort and the Qutub Minar easy.
The buses, in their bright blue colour overlain by cheerful motifs, would touch all the important monuments, museums and markets like the Dilli Haat. Tourist riding on them can hop off one bus and hop onto another with the same ticket at designated stoppage points throughout the day. Tickets for these services have been priced at Rs 300.
A “guest relations executive” in the bus will help tourists with information on various monuments and other places along the route.
The service would start from Baba Kharak Singh Marg near Connaught Place -lined with various state emporia- and would ferry tourists to 19 monuments from 8 am till 8 pm.
Launching the service, a joint venture between Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC) and Urban Mass Transit Company Ltd (UMTC), Dikshit said the number of buses in the service could be increased depending on the response.
Currently Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) runs “Dilli Darshan” service, which, despite its widespread popularity, do not provide the facility of hopping on and hopping off.
Tourists who like to see the monuments at their own pace, therefore, cannot do so as they have to use the day-long service as a single group.
DTTDC Managing Director Reena Roy said at the launch ceremony that the service would provide tourists “a perfect” introduction of Delhi.
