A horse chariot near Eco Park. Telegraph picture

This festive season, residents will have the royal experience of a horse ride around Gandhi Maidan.

Bihar State Tourism Department Corporation (BSTDC) is set to start four horse-drawn carriages around the historic Maidan.

Shailendra Kumar, the general manager of BSTDC, told The Telegraph: “We have recently placed an order for supplying four horse-drawn chariots to a firm based in Varanasi.”

On the route where these chariots would travel, he said: “These chariots would ply around Gandhi Maidan and the neighbouring streets. These rides would be available in the evening. We are expecting the delivery of the chariots within a month and subsequently they would start running from the first week of October.”

Sources said the wooden carriages would comprise a seating area called “saloon” with two upholstered seats. The saloon will have a hood, which can be removed when the weather is good.

Each of the carriages cost Rs 1,20,000.

The carriage would accommodate two people in the front row and three in the rear. Though the exact fares of the proposed chariots are yet to be finalised, sources said residents would have to cough up between Rs 100 and Rs 150.

Patna residents are upbeat about the carriages.

“At times I go to places around Gandhi Maidan in the evening to hang out with friends. It would be great if the government provides cool and stylish rides on buggis around Gandhi Maidan on breezy evenings,” said Ekta Srivastava, a resident of Ramnagari Colony.

Upcoming phaetons apart, two chariots were inaugurated in October last year, which are being run near Eco Park. The response to these rides has been good.

“The two chariots are making around eight to 10 trips every day between Eco Park and Raj Bhavan. The response is so good that almost all seats are occupied in most of the rides. In fact, people queue up for the chariots during weekends,” said Gajendra Singh, the manager, travel and trade, BSTDC.

“Besides the regular rides around Eco Park, the chariots are highly in demand during marriage seasons. People make booking for these chariots for wedding ceremonies around two to three months in advance,” Gajendra added.

The fare for the chariot ride is Rs 50 per seat.