New Delhi, February 27 The Delhi government launched an electric double-decker tourist bus service – 'Dekho Meri Dilli' – on Friday, aimed at offering visitors a structured tour of the capital's major heritage sites and landmarks. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta inaugurated the service.
The chief minister, along with Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra and senior officials, unveiled the 63-seater double-decker bus at Rafi Marg and later took a ride to the Prime Ministers' Museum as part of the launch.
According to a statement, the fully electric bus has been introduced by the Delhi tourism department under a public-private partnership model and is equipped with modern amenities, advanced safety features, and a panoramic upper deck to provide passengers with an enhanced sightseeing experience.
The service – in collaboration with the Hinduja Group – is designed for domestic and foreign tourists and will operate on a fixed circuit covering key landmarks in central Delhi, including INA-Delhi Haat, Vijay Chowk, Rashtrapati Bhavan, North Block, South Block, the National Museum, the National Gallery of Modern Art, the Prime Ministers' Museum, the National War Memorial, and India Gate.
The bus service will commence daily from Delhi Haat, INA, at 9 am. Evening tours are also being planned, with the route largely finalized and timings structured to align with the closing hours of museums along the circuit.
Gupta said the initiative was a step towards presenting Delhi as a modern, world-class tourism destination while highlighting its historical and cultural legacy.
The city offers a blend of heritage sites and modern landmarks such as Bharat Mandapam and the new Parliament complex, allowing visitors to experience different phases of Delhi's evolution in a single circuit, she said.
The chief minister also said the zero-emission electric bus aligns with the government's focus on green mobility and clean tourism, and is expected to reduce carbon emissions while improving the tourism experience.
Tourism Minister Mishra said the launch of the double-decker bus was part of a broader effort to position Delhi as a tourism destination rather than a mere transit point.
He said the capital, with over a thousand protected monuments spanning ancient, medieval, and colonial periods, has the potential to offer a unique and comprehensive tourism experience.
With this vision, plans are underway to host global events such as an international film festival, which will provide fresh impetus to tourism, the concert economy, live entertainment, and the creator economy, Mishra said, adding that in coming years, transport infrastructure will also be modernised and electrified to further promote tourism.
The bus can accommodate over 63 passengers besides the driver and has been designed to operate in Lutyens' Delhi without issues related to overhead electric wires or low tree canopies.
A trained guide will be on board to brief passengers about the historical and cultural significance of the sites covered during the tour.
The fare for the service has been fixed at Rs 500 plus five per cent GST for adults and Rs 300 plus five per cent GST for children aged between five and ten years. Children below five years can travel free, it said, adding that tickets will be available online through the Delhi Tourism website, and offline at designated booking counters across the city.
The launch also marks a revival of double-decker buses in Delhi, which were earlier operated by the Delhi Transport Corporation as 'Suvidha' services before being phased out in 1989.
