With eye on Commonwealth Games, Admn to upgrade city’s public transport

Chandigarh Administration plans to set up pre-paid cabs and autorickshaw booths at important tourist places

As New Delhi gears up for the Commonwealth Games in October this year, Chandigarh, too, is doing its bit to host tourists. In order to avoid any inconvenience and discomfort to travellers, the Administration has planned to set up attractive pre-paid cab and autorickshaw booths at the Sukhna Lake, railway station, ISBT-17 and 43, and other tourist attractions of the city.

“We hope that Chandigarh would be on the list of the Commonwealth cities where a few games would be played. Even if this does not happen, it is certain that tourists would travel to places such as Shimla and other towns in Himachal. For this, they would halt in the city,” said State Transport Authority Secretary Vandana Disodia.

In this regard, pre-paid autorickshaw service tuk tuk and now yo-yo, the first-of-its-kind transport service in the country, has taken the city by storm.

“I have received numerous enquiries from operators in Jaipur, Mumbai, Indore, Bhopal and Lucknow who are interested to start this service in their respective cities. Tuk tuk has received such an overwhelming response not only from the city but also from those visiting from the other cities. We have seen cases where relatives of city residents coming from abroad have demanded to take a ride in tuk tuk at least once,” said Colonel V S Dhillon (Retired), Managing Director, Tricity Tours and Travels.

The Administration has set up pre-paid autorickshaw booths at the railway station and ISBT-17 but they are not popular among travellers owing to their location and proximity. These would be replaced by new booths and pre-paid taxi booths. The Chandigarh Administration also plans to install more tourist information kiosks in the city for the convenience of the holidaymakers.

Disodia said, “Tourist police, wearing a special uniform, will man various tourist spots in the city.”