An open-deck bus service has been started in New Town to take people on a tour of the township’s attractions.
Run by the tourism department in association with Hidco, the tour will be offered in the weekends. Tickets on the lower deck will cost Rs 945 while an upper deck seat has been priced Rs 1208. The tour will start at 2pm at Biswa Bangla Gate, and include Rabindra Tirtha, Coffee House, Mothers’ Wax Museum, Seven Wonders of the World and end at Eco Park at 7.30pm.
Booking can be done at the Biswa Bangla Gate ticket counter on Saturday from 10am to 5pm and on Sunday from 10am to 1pm.
The first trip took place on March 7, on the eve of Women’s Day when a woman companion of a ticket buyer got a free ride.
Some weeks ago, Hidco chairman cum managing director Debashis Sen had taken officials from local hotels on a trial run, accompanied by The Telegraph Salt Lake.
“We had been discussing this facility for a long time. We talk of IT and hospitals when we talk of the development of New Town but tourism has to be part of the plan also. There are a lot of stories to be told in New Town for which you needed a platform. This bus service will provide that,” said Sandeep Johri, general manager of Novotel, who has spent four years in the township but learnt of the deer park in New Town that day.
The trip was even more insightful for Ajit Jose, who has recently joined as general manager of Ibis Kolkata Rajarhat. “I never knew there was so much to see in New Town. It would be a good option for our guests to relax and unwind over half a day,” he said.
