The bodies have deployed the ill-famous King Long buses, which were always in news for break-downs.
A faulty air-conditioning system marred the launch of Mumbai Darshan luxury bus service on Thursday. The AC system of bus number 6 was repaired within 15-20 minutes. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, along with minister for tourism Jaikumar Rawal, launched the service, a joint venture of Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) and the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST).
The bodies have deployed the ill-famous King Long buses, which were always in news for break-downs.
Meanwhile, six buses left the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) for their maiden ride. AC system of one of the buses, however, did not work and the bus had to be stopped at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Museum to fix the problem.
Soon after the formal inauguration function, Fadnavis, Rawal, ministers of state Deepak Kesarkar and Madan Yerawar enjoyed the ride. Due to some pressing prior engagements, the CM got down in between and left for Nashik.
While launching the service, Fadnavis said tourism was the best ambassador for any country. BEST committee chairman Mohan Mithbavkar told the media that at one time, the undertaking had 47 lakh regular commuters in Mumbai, but the number had come down to 29 lakh now. He informed that with the Mumbai Darshan service, BEST was hoping to increase the number of users.
Commenting on the AC system failure, he said BEST was acquiring new Volvo-type buses soon, but since the minister wanted to start the Mumbai Darshan immediately, the best 15 buses out of the 100 King Long buses were selected.
Initially, the service would be provided on two routes covering 60 tourist points in Mumbai. Two types of passes – gold and silver – will cost Rs725 and Rs499, respectively. The Mumbai Darshan tourists would not be required to wait in a queue at the Siddhivinayak temple.
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