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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Washington: US President Donald Trump has said he has not yet considered whether he would continue the ceasefire involving Iran, while also claiming the United States holds the advantage in negotiations.

Speaking to reporters, Trump said he was prepared to make a deal with “whoever is running the show” in Iran.

“They are fighting with each other, there’s tremendous infighting. They’re probably fighting for leadership in many cases. I think they’re fighting not to be leader because we knocked out two levels of leaders,” he said.

Trump added, “When they want they can call me. We have all the cards, we’ve won everything.”

Referring to ongoing negotiations, he said, “They gave us a paper that should’ve been better. And, interestingly, immediately when I cancelled it [envoy trip to Pakistan], within 10 minutes we got a new paper that was much better.”

“We talked about they will not have a nuclear weapon, very simple … They offered a lot, but not enough,” he added.

When asked whether he would continue the ceasefire, Trump replied, “I haven’t even thought about it.”

The remarks come as uncertainty remains over the future of the temporary truce and broader negotiations between Washington and Tehran.