 Early Times Report
Jammu, July 7: A special hop-on, hop-off electric bus service aimed at transforming the sightseeing experience in Jammu will enter full commercial operations from July 10, offering residents and tourists a convenient, affordable and environmentally sustainable way to explore the city's religious, heritage and recreational attractions.
'RAAHI: Hop Jammu', an initiative of the District Administration Jammu, comprises a fleet of air-conditioned electric buses operating on four themed routes -- Tirath Line, Chenab Line, Sarhad Line and Fun Line -- linking major temples, heritage monuments, border landmarks, museums, parks and other popular destinations across the city.
Ahead of the commercial launch, the administration has been conducting trial operations on the Chenab Line to fine-tune schedules, halt timings and passenger services.
During this phase, the buses are providing complimentary sightseeing tours to Amarnath pilgrims staying in Jammu before proceeding to Kashmir for the annual pilgrimage.
The first batch of pilgrims availing the facility visited Akhnoor Fort, Pandav Gufa, Jia Pota Ghat, Sant Baba Sunder Singh Ji Gurudwara and the ancient Kameshwar Temple on Monday, offering them an opportunity to experience Jammu's historical, cultural and spiritual heritage during their transit.
An official said online bookings for all four routes will open exclusively from July 8, while the service will transition to full commercial operations from July 10. A single daily pass will provide passengers with unlimited hop-on, hop-off travel across all routes, allowing visitors to board and alight at designated stops throughout the day according to their itinerary.
The bus service was formally launched by the Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on July 1, a day before flagging off the first batch of this year’s Amarnath yatra from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp.
The 57-day yatra started in Kashmir on July 3 and so far over one lakh devotees had paid their obeisance at the 3,880 meter high holy cave via the twin routes of Pahalgam in Anantnag and Baltal in Ganderbal.
The officials said the hop buses will operate at regular intervals depending on the route and will have trained guides on board to provide information about the city's landmarks, history and cultural significance, enhancing the overall visitor experience.
The initiative has already received an enthusiastic response from Amarnath pilgrims, many of whom said the service enabled them to make productive use of the waiting period before the Yatra by discovering Jammu's attractions.
Sunil Kumar, a pilgrim from Uttar Pradesh visiting the Amarnath shrine for the second time, described the initiative as one of the highlights of his journey.
"I have come here for the second time to seek the blessings of Bole Nath, and this visit has been even better than my first. One of the best parts of the trip was getting the opportunity to explore Jammu. The administration arranged free electric buses for pilgrims, and the entire team was extremely supportive. They guided us well and took us to many beautiful places where we could visit and offer prayers," he said.
Calling it his best experience so far, Kumar expressed gratitude to the administration for the initiative and hoped the same level of service would continue for future pilgrims.
Another pilgrim, Ruchika, who travelled from Mumbai, said the service allowed her group to explore the city during the waiting period before their scheduled departure for the Yatra.
"We received our yatra token for July 8, so we had a couple of days to spare. We saw a large air-conditioned bus near our campsite and decided to take the tour. We have already visited several places and plan to see a few more. We are looking forward to enjoying more of Jammu's beautiful surroundings. It has been a wonderful experience," she said.
Officials said the initiative is expected to boost urban tourism while promoting sustainable mobility through electric public transport.
By integrating Jammu's religious, cultural, heritage, border and recreational destinations into a single hop-on, hop-off network, RAAHI: Hop Jammu aims to enhance the visitor experience and encourage tourists and pilgrims to spend more time exploring the city beyond their primary destination, he said. |
