Chandigarh starts shuttle bus service to Sukhna Lake, Rock Garden

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 18

To mitigate traffic woes around city’s three famous tourist destinations, the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) today started a shuttle bus service covering Rock Garden, Bird Park and Sukhna Lake during weekends and public holidays. The service will be available between 11 am and 8 pm.

Available at 5-minute frequency

• Service available between 11 am and 8 pm during weekends and public holidays
• Six buses pressed into service to ferry tourists at a frequency of 5 minutes each
• Private vehicles allowed to park at Sukhna Lake’s paid parking and pit parking of Rock Garden
• If these lots are full, vehicles to park near HC, from where visitors can avail shuttle bus service

Shuttle bus route

The pickup/drop off points of shuttle buses are: Rock Garden, Gursagar Sahib turn and Sukhna Lake near ATC light

An official said six buses had been pressed into service to ferry tourists during these hours at a frequency of 5 minutes each. A total of 534 passengers used the service on the first day.

The Administration has advised the tourists visiting these places during weekends/holidays to strictly adhere to the instructions to avoid any traffic congestion.

According to the instructions, private vehicles (four and two-wheelers) will be allowed till two parking areas – Municipal Corporation’s paid parking, Sector 5, in front Sukhna Lake and pit parking of Rock Garden — on first come, first serve basis and as per availability of space. If these parking slots are fully occupied, private vehicles will be guided to kachhi parking near High Court and backside of offices in Sector 9-A, from where the visitors can use the shuttle bus service to reach Rock Garden, Bird Park and Sukhna Lake.

The facility will be available for visitors/tourists from kachhi parking near High Court chowk and backside of offices in Sector 9-A on weekends/holidays at a gap of every 5 minutes at a cost of Rs 10 for a round trip.

The pickup/drop off points of the shuttle buses are: Rock Garden, Gursagar Sahib turn and Sukhna Lake near ATC light. The visitors are advised that after approaching Jan Marg and Vigyan Path, they have to follow the green route to reach Rock Garden, Bird Park and Sukhna Lake during weekends/public holidays. No vehicle will be allowed to enter from Sukhna Lake side as this area has been declared a “no-vehicle zone”.

For exit, drivers are advised to follow the route marked in orange colour to their destination. Vehicles exiting from kachhi parking of the High Court and Rock Garden pit parking will be advised to exit by taking right turn towards old barricade chowk (Junction No. 3) on Jan Marg.

All private tourist buses will have to be parked at kachhi parking near the High Court and will drop/pick passengers from there itself.

Pradhuman Singh, Director, UT Transport, said a total of 534 passengers availed the service and a revenue of Rs 5,340 was earned on the first day.

An official said the shuttle service was introduced as there was a heavy influx of visitors not only from Chandigarh, but also from adjoining states of Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh at the three famous tourist spots, especially during weekends and public holidays, causing additional vehicular load and traffic congestion in the area.

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