Bengaluru launches ‘Ambari’ double-decker tourist bus service
Bengaluru: In an effort to promote city tourism, the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) on Wednesday launched the ‘Ambari Double-Decker Bus’ service in Bengaluru.
The service was flagged off by Tourism Minister H.K. Patil near Ravindra Kalakshetra. Speaking on the occasion, the minister said KSTDC, a government-owned undertaking under the Tourism Department, has been working for the past 55 years to strengthen tourism and hospitality services in Karnataka, providing quality facilities to both domestic and international tourists.
To popularise Bengaluru’s tourist attractions and offer visitors a new city-viewing experience, KSTDC plans to operate three London-style double-decker buses in the city. The buses will begin regular operations from January 21.
The Ambari Double-Decker Bus will operate on the route: Ravindra Kalakshetra – Corporation Circle – Hudson Circle – Kasturba Road – Visvesvaraya Museum – Chinnaswamy Stadium Road – General Post Office – High Court/Vidhana Soudha – K.R. Circle – Hudson Circle – Corporation Circle – Ravindra Kalakshetra.
The ticket price has been fixed at Rs 180 per person for a full-day ride. The lower deck of the bus is air-conditioned and fitted with comfortable seating, along with a microphone system to provide information about nearby tourist spots. The upper deck has 20 seats, allowing passengers to enjoy panoramic views of the city and its landmarks.
The minister said that separate routes for the double-decker buses will be planned in the coming days. Bookings and additional details are available on the KSTDC website (kstdc.co) or through the helpline numbers 080-4334 4334/35 and mobile numbers 89706 50070 / 89706 50075.
KSTDC Chairman Srinivas M, MLA Uday B Garudachar, Kannada and Culture Department Secretary Manjunath, Tourism Director Gayathri, KSTDC Managing Director Prashanth Kumar Mishra, and other officials were present at the launch event.
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Trouble ‘Miyas’ everywhere only then they will leave Assam: Himanta Biswa Sarma
Says “Himanta Biswa Sarma, BJP are openly against them, we are saying it openly
New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that four to five lakh “Miya voters” would be removed from the electoral rolls in the state once the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists is carried out. He also made a series of controversial remarks openly targeting the Miya community, a term commonly used in Assam in a derogatory sense to refer to Bengali-speaking Muslims.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an official programme in Digboi in Tinsukia district, Sarma said it was his responsibility to create difficulties for the Miya community and claimed that both he and the BJP were “directly against Miyas”.
“Four to five lakh Miya votes will have to be deleted in Assam when the SIR happens,” Sarma said, adding that such voters “should ideally not be allowed to vote in Assam, but in Bangladesh”. He asserted that the government was ensuring that they would not be able to vote in the state.
The chief minister was responding to questions about notices issued to thousands of Bengali-speaking Muslims during the claims and objections phase of the ongoing Special Revision (SR) of electoral rolls in Assam. While the Election Commission is conducting SIR exercises in 12 states and Union Territories, Assam is currently undergoing an SR, which is usually meant for routine updates.
Calling the current SR “preliminary”, Sarma said that a full-fledged SIR in Assam would lead to large-scale deletion of Miya voters. He said he was unconcerned about criticism from opposition parties over the issue.
“Let the Congress abuse me as much as they want. My job is to make the Miya people suffer,” Sarma said. He claimed that complaints filed against members of the community were done on his instructions and that he had encouraged BJP workers to keep filing complaints.
“I have told people wherever possible they should fill Form 7 so that they have to run around a little and are troubled,” he said, adding that such actions were meant to send a message that “the Assamese people are still living”.
In remarks that drew further outrage, Sarma urged people to trouble members of the Miya community in everyday life, claiming that “only if they face troubles will they leave Assam”. He also accused the media of sympathising with the community and warned journalists against such coverage.
“So you all should also trouble, and you should not do news that sympathise with them. There will be love jihad in your own house.” He said.
The comments triggered reactions from opposition leaders. Raijor Dal president and MLA Akhil Gogoi said the people of Assam had not elected Sarma to keep one community under constant pressure. Congress leader Aman Wadud accused the chief minister of rendering the Constitution meaningless in the state, saying his remarks showed a complete disregard for constitutional values.
According to the draft electoral rolls published on December 27, Assam currently has 2.51 crore voters. Election officials said 4.78 lakh names were marked as deceased, 5.23 lakh as having shifted, and 53,619 duplicate entries were removed during the revision process. Authorities also claimed that verification had been completed for over 61 lakh households.
On January 25, six opposition parties the Congress, Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad, CPI, CPI(M) and CPI(M-L) submitted a memorandum to the state’s chief electoral officer. They alleged widespread legal violations, political interference and selective targeting of genuine voters during the SR exercise, describing it as arbitrary, unlawful and unconstitutional.
