Telangana Today

03 Apr https://telanganatoday.com/green-autos-to-dot-tourist-hotspots-in- Green autos to dot tourist hotspots in Hyderabad 20 battery-operated four and six-seater autorickshaws will be introduced at heritage destinations by State Tourism Department tentatively by May first week. AddThis Sharing Buttons Share to FacebookFacebook Share to TwitterTwitter Share to Google+Google+ Share to LinkedInLinkedIn Share to Pinterest Pinterest By AuthorTelanganaToday | Published: 3rd Apr 2018 12:00 am tourist Battery-powered autos will play important role in reducing air and noise pollution.

Hyderabad: This summer, tourists in Hyderabad will have an opportunity to explore historical places in battery-operated autorickshaws. The bright coloured autorickshaws will offer tourists a chance to visit five beautiful landmarks in the State capital.

In the first phase, 20 battery-operated four and six-seater autorickshaws will be introduced at heritage destinations by State Tourism Department tentatively by May first week.

The initiative is part of a bigger project to promote tourism to attract both local and foreign tourists, department officials said.

“The hop on hop off auto rickshaws will take tourists around tourist hotspots covering major attractions like Salarjung Museum, , Mecca Masjid, Chowmahalla Palace and Nizam Museum,” Tourism Development Corporation, Managing Director (FAC), B Manohar said.

Initially, the vehicles will be launched at major sites and later extended to other parts of the city. “The fee has been set at Rs 200 per head, which includes entrance tickets, and no fee will be collected for children below five years,” he said.

The eco-friendly vehicles will also promote clean environment and will play an important role in reducing air and noise pollution, avoid parking problems, traffic jams etc. The battery operated autos will also avoid walking stress for senior citizens.

While speaking to Telangana Today, Manohar said, “For this project, drivers will act as guides for the tourists and they will be trained in this regard as early as possible. Gurugram-based Smart E Company has come forward to provide the battery-operated autorickshaws on rental basis.”

The Tourism Department bus will first drop tourists at Salarjung Museum and from there tourists will hop on and hop off on autos to different historical places. The department is planning to run autos every 10 minutes at these places, he added.