Bhubaneswar, Sept. 4: The light-and-sound show at Dhauli has become a big hit with tourists, but the state is far from delivering on its promise of ensuring safe transport for the visitors to the International Peace Pagoda.

The process to replace big buses with smaller ones to ferry tourists from the foothill to the hilltop is yet to begin. So is the process to relocate vendors from near the pagoda to the banks of Parabudhi pond.

On October 10 last year, the state government announced that either small buses or battery-operated vehicles would be used to ferry tourists from the foothill and big buses would not be allowed to the hilltop. Tourism minister Ashok Chandra Panda had announced the proposal following the death of a young engineer from Bengal at Dhauli when a tourist bus met with an accident on October 9.

Manoeuvring of big buses has become a tough task by drivers, especially for those who visit the pagoda on the Dhauli hills for the first time.

Bhubaneswar tourist officer Sashanka Rath said: "Already, talks have started with the Dream Team Sahara authorities to rope in their service of smaller buses from foothill bus terminal to the hilltop. We want to finish the work of the bus terminal with some additional work."

"The much-touted Dhauli development project, which was originally conceptualised to have a garden based on the theme of Buddhism, installation of Buddha statues, bus terminal on the foothill and better roads in surrounding areas, is far from being ready," said Ekamra Vikas Parishad convener Rashmi Mohapatra.

This stretch has witnessed several accidents in the past.

On February 15, 2012, a tourist bus from Bengal met with an accident, and all the 60 passengers on board received minor injuries.

On February 7, 2012, a bus with visitors from Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh broke a wall and fell into a 15-feet ditch near the pagoda. The driver was alleged to have been driving on a road that was not meant for heavy vehicles.

Mohapatra also said that more lights should be installed along all roads leading to the monument to ensure better safety in the evenings.

The Odisha Tourism Development Corporation has also initiated the process to engage a consultant to design the vending zone, which would house the vendors who are crowding the area near the peace pagoda. The district administration had also organised a meeting with the vendors last month.

A vendor at Dhauli, Sumanta Subuddhi, said: "We have no issue in relocating to a new place, but the state government should develop adequate infrastructure for us before taking us there."

The Buddhist site is famous for an Asokan rock edict of great historical importance and the International Peace Pagoda, which was built in collaboration with Japan in 1972.