New bus service from Abu Dhabi city to BAPS Hindu temple launched.

Photo-Khaleej Times

A new bus service has been launched to facilitate transportation for visitors from Abu Dhabi City to the recently inaugurated BAPS Hindu mandir, situated in Abu Mureikha, adjacent to the Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway. The service will commence from the Abu Dhabi Bus Terminal and follow a route along Sultan bin Zayed the First Street, commonly known as Muroor Street, passing through Hamdan bin Mohammed Street, and making stops at Al Bahyah, Al Shahama, and finally reaching the BAPS Mandir as its terminal destination. The journey from the city to the temple is estimated to take approximately 90 minutes. This new service complements the existing bus route 201 serving suburban areas.

Pujya Brahmaviharidas Swami from the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha expressed gratitude to the local authorities for introducing this new bus service, which aims to enhance accessibility to the temple for community members. During weekends, the existing bus number 201, operating from Al Bahyah Souq, will be replaced by bus number 203, designated specifically for transportation to the BAPS Temple. Community members have already begun utilizing the service, particularly on Saturdays and Sundays, appreciating its convenience and accessibility.

Rakesh Yadav, a resident who recently traveled to the temple on Sunday, praised the initiative, highlighting its significance in connecting prominent streets of Abu Dhabi to the temple and facilitating weekend travel for community members. To utilize the bus service, passengers are required to possess a Hafilat card. Recently, the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) of the Department of Municipalities and Transport in Abu Dhabi implemented standardized fare rates for city and suburban transport services, with a base fare of Dh2 and an additional five fils charged for every kilometer traveled. Traveling without a valid bus card may result in a fine of Dh200.