Panaji (Goa): The long awaited and first of its kind in India – Hop On Hop Off (HOHO) bus tour service was launched today, two days after a photo showing it being used to trim the tree branches went viral on the social media.
Three buses – two of which are single-decker and one double-decker will now ply from Dona Paula to Old Goa under the phase-I plan while the total number of buses will go up in the coming days to ply on different routes under Phase-II.
Tourism Minister Manohar (Babu) Azgaonkar who flagged off the bus was among other tourism officials and media persons to tour from Patto till Miramar and back. What was interesting or rather embarrassing for the Tourism Department was that, tree branches and electrical wires were causing constant hindrance throughout the road trip for the passengers seated on the open rooftop. The attendant would constantly instruct the passengers to ‘be careful’ and remain seated for safety and to prevent any untoward incident.
At the end of the trip, the Minister asked ‘Prasanna Purple Mobility Solution’ – that is providing the facility to the Goa government – to ensure the tree branches are chopped and electrical wires are placed at a distance away from the passengers in the future. “No passengers should get hurt,” he said.
The bus service is started with an aim to attract tourists from across the country and globe. Two days ago, a photo showing a person standing on the double decker bus to chop off tree branches created flutters, with Tourism Department later issuing a clarification that safety measures were being taken to ensure safety of the passengers.
Each trip, travelling across 19 major locations, costs Rs 300 for one day and Rs 500 for two days per passenger. Azgaonkar suggested reducing the tariff for the Goan public. A tour guide will be available on board describing every location while also an app is launched that would be available in four languages – Hindi, English, Portuguese and French, informing the tourists about the tourist locations and the city.
Team TNV
