Only 10 tourists every day; poor response during weekends too

Mysore/Mysuru: The wheels of the Ambaari double-decker hop-on and hop-off city tourist buses aren’t going round and round very much these days. And despite relaxation in weekend curfew, there are not many takers for this service.

Demand for bus travel has fallen during the COVID pandemic as people are avoiding travel in public service wherever possible. The same trend is being witnessed when it comes to Ambaari service launched by the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) to boost Mysuru city’s tourism through the year.

Though there are five double-decker buses, only one bus with about 10 tourists is making just one round of two-hour duration daily, KSTDC sources said. The bus, with a total seating capacity of 60 (40 in the lower deck with AC and 20 on the open roof), gives a better view of places of tourist interest in city. 

Despite relaxation in the weekend curfew, only over 10 tourists come to KSTDC Office on JLB Road to buy tickets and go on city rounds. “There were no crowds on Saturday and Sunday too and as such, we operated only one bus that too with only 10 people while the actual capacity of the bus is 60,” said an official.

While one Ambaari bus is stationed in the KSTDC office premises, the other four are stationed inside the KSRTC Bus Depot at Bannimantap. The duration of each trip is about two hours, with intermittent stops in between. Audio and visual guides about each tourist destination is displayed on monitors inside the bus all through the tour and a public address system with information about the specialties of Mysuru city including the art, culture, cuisines and more is made. KSTDC is hoping that more tourists will prefer this bus in the coming days.