Mumbai: A bright yellow bus will slowly drive past iconic Mumbai landmarks such as CST, then exit the streets to make a carefully manoeuvred, and dramatic, plunge in the Arabian Sea. It will chug through the water, giving those aboard a completely different view of the city.
Such land-to-water tours will soon become a regular fixture as state authorities have tied up with Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) to operate an amphibious tourist bus, known simply as the ‘Duck’ in western countries.
The amphibious craft is currently being developed in Sweden at the cost of around Rs 5 crore and it is expected to be ready within a month.
“The bus will arrive in the city by September and we intend to start the service the following month,” said Satish Soni, joint managing director of Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation. “Currently, we are in the process of getting approval to construct a jetty at Girgaum Chowpatty.”
Amphibious bus rides, or Duck tours, are a pet project of Union minister of road transport and shipping Nitin Gadkari, who also wants to start such a service on the Ganga.
The Ducks, which can carry 30 to 50 passengers, are a familiar sight in central London and famous American cities. The vehicles are operated by enthusiastic drivers who play loud music and quack through speakers. Their entry into a river or a lake is the most exciting part of the ride.
The tour planned in Mumbai will be around 2 hours long, including 30 minutes in the sea. A senior official with the tourism corporation said operators in the West serve light alcohol aboard the Ducks and the state may follow the same service model. “We are working on the tour plan,” the official said.
Amphibious buses have hydro jets that propel them in water, and they can travel as fast as steamers. But on road, they run like any similar-sized vehicle.
The bus ordered for Mumbai will be owned by JNPT.