Double Decker Buses on Bheemili Beach Road Visakhapatnam to Add New Colors to Its Tourism Sector

To give a fresh boost to the tourism sector in Visakhapatnam, the district administration is making significant efforts. Representatives of AP Tours & Travels have long suggested that “Hop On, Hop Off” buses would be a great addition to the Beach Road area. Current District Collector Harendhira Prasad has taken note of this

Expected to Arrive in a Week
Project Monitoring Unit to Be Set Up for Operations
A New Attraction for Tourists

As part of the effort to enhance tourism in Visakhapatnam, the district administration is working on introducing double-decker buses along the beach road. These “Hop On, Hop Off” buses have been proposed by AP Tours & Travels representatives for quite some time. Collector Harendhira Prasad took up the proposal and approached the Visakhapatnam Port Trust, requesting two electric buses under their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative. The port authorities agreed.

These will be fully air-conditioned double-decker buses, with closed-door seating on the lower deck and an open-top on the upper deck. Each bus costs around ₹1.8 crores. In addition to these, an AC bus from Ashok Leyland will also be provided. The state government had arranged a few AC buses from the company, and one of them is being allotted to Visakhapatnam, as confirmed by officials in Amaravati. In total, three buses will be made available to the Tourism Department.

These buses will operate along the stretch from the Fishing Harbour to Bheemili via the Beach Road. The Collector has directed discussions with the Transport Department and RTC officials to finalize routes, stops, and obtain the necessary permissions. A Project Monitoring Unit (PMU) is expected to be set up for the management of these services. Instructions have also been given to the Regional Manager to allocate charging points for these buses at the RTC depot in Waltair. These buses are expected to be visually appealing and attractive to tourists.

Currently, no buses are running directly on the Beach Road. One existing bus to Bheemili travels via MVP Colony, reaching Appu Ghar, and then continues through Rushikonda. This bus is often overcrowded during college hours. Tourists currently do not have convenient bus access from RK Beach or the Fishing Harbour to reach Rushikonda or Bheemili. Officials believe that the introduction of these new, stylish buses will boost beach tourism significantly, especially during evening hours when the demand is higher. If the public responds positively, more buses will be introduced in the future. These buses are expected to arrive in Visakhapatnam within a week.