Panaji (Goa): A picture showing the yet-to-be-launched Open Double Decker Bus being used to chop tree branches has left the Tourism Department in an awkward situation. The photo has gone viral drawing criticism from the public and the media.

The department was quick to issue a press statement clarifying the exercise is a part of pre-monsoon preparedness. “An order was issued to the concerned departments (Forest department, Corporation of City of Panaji, Traffic police, Mamlatdar and Fire Department) to trim down the branches which are one of the safety concerns for passengers touring in the double-decker buses in the near future. Based on the order issued, the respective departments had begun trimming of the branches today on the bus route between Paryatan Bhavan and Bhagwan Mahaveer Garden, Panjim,” Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) that has procured the bus for the purpose of tourism-related activities, said in a press release issued a while ago.

Apart from the branches, GTDC General Manager Gavin Dias said there were several low-level electric wires and cables which were already attended by the electricity department, Goa broadband company and the local cable TV operators and all the wires and cables have been moved to safety levels ensuring safety of the passengers and the buses.

“The work will continue for the next few days ensuring hundred percent safety of passengers who would take a double decker bus tour in the future. From the safety point of view, the branches were required to be trimmed which were touching the double-decker and posing a great amount of risk at most of the places on the route. Hence, considering the safety of the passengers and the buses, the respective departments were executing the given order,” he said adding “This is also a part of the pre-monsoon precautionary measures undertaken by the disaster management authorities.”

Interestingly, the bus will be launched only after all these safety measures are put in place, .

The GTDC had been postponing introducing four hop-on-and-hop-off buses for quite some time. It has procured four buses – two double decker and two single decker – to begin with to facilitate easy mobility of tourists visiting the capital city.

These will cover certain points such as Miramar and Dona Paula.

The trials are being undertaken to check and remove any hindrances such as overhead electrical lines and low overhanging hanging branches on the routes these buses will operate along.

Team TNV