New Delhi: Commonwealth tourists will be able to savour delicacies from across the world while negotiating the Delhi traffic and enjoying the scenery around.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has proposed to run five double-decker buses in the Capital, exclusively for the tourists coming to watch the Games in October.
The five buses will have an open top and a restaurant on the lower deck in which different cuisines will be offered to the international tourists. Each bus will have a separate menu, ranging from continental to ethnic Indian. The route for the buses will be designed like a heritage walk, involving a visit to the prominent historical monuments in the city.
"The five buses represent the five continents. Every bus will serve food belonging to one particular continent and decorated with popular culture of that particular continent. However, Indian food will be common to all the buses," said an official associated to the proposal.
"Two by two seating arrangements will be made on the buses with a table. All seats will be fitted with a language-interpreting headphone for a running commentary about the facilities and the landmarks. Television screens and audio video aids will also be installed on the buses to inform people about the history and food of the city as well as handlooms and handicrafts," the official said. On board the bus, the tourists will also be able to book national and international flight or train tickets.
"The ambitious project will be implemented on a BOT (build operate and transfer) basis and RFP (Request for Proposal) will be called soon," said the official. However, ticket-prices are yet to be calculated. "We are in touch with experts and international chefs to calculate the cost and finalise menus of different continents," he added.
The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) currently runs a bus service named 'Delhi Darshan' for tourists in the city. "This service has limited scope. The bus service we are launching will be of international standards. We will also take up the proposal with DTC and tourism department," the official said.