The Swiss-made Amphibious Bus, which was procured at a cost of Rs 8.6 crores with the aim of boosting tourism in Harike wetland, continues to gather dust for the last ten years.Earlier, this much hyped project which was the brainchild of the then Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and was launched on December 12, 2016 to transform the Harike Wetland and Bird Sanctuary into a major tourist attraction.The Amphibious bus, manufactured by Swedish automobile giant Scania, had gained overnight popularity as ” Paani Wali Bus” in the region even before it made its first sortie with Sukhbir and his bunch of SAD MLAs on board. It had a seating capacity of 48 passengers and was designed to offer a three-kilometre water ride in Harike for which a dedicated ramp was also constructed at a cost of Rs 72 lakh to facilitate its entry into the waters.In its brief operational span, it traversed from Amritsar to Harike by road and then in Harike lake for 10 days, catering to just 97 tourists and generated a revenue of Rs 77,600, with tickets priced at Rs 800 per person.As per information, around 150 personnel were engaged for this project which included maintenance and operation staff. However, the project soon ran into controversy due to low water levels at the sanctuary. In an attempt to sustain operations, additional water was reportedly released which led to flooding in nearby agricultural fields, submerging nearly 500 acres of standing wheat crop and triggering resentment among the local farmers.Subsequently, following the change of regime, the then Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu announced to scrap the project during his visit to Harike on June 16, 2017. Terming the project as “ill-conceived” and a waste of public money, he ordered the immediate discontinuation of the amphibious bus service.Sidhu had also announced alternative plans, including the introduction of pedal boats or shikaras, development of tourist accommodation such as tents, nature trails, and even proposals to introduce dolphins to enhance the site’s appeal, however, none of these proposals materialised on the ground.Although the tourism department had at one point, initiated the process to auction this bus after scrapping the project, the move reportedly got entangled in procedural wrangles, leaving the costly asset abandoned till date.“The Harike bird sanctuary, which is a designated Ramsar site, holds immense potential to generate significant revenue and attract both domestic and international tourists,” said historian Dr Rameshwar Singh, adding that its proximity to Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport further enhances its viability as a global tourist destination.“Unfortunately, due to political differences and lack of viable planning, the Amphibious bus project has become a victim of government’s apathy”, he said, further stating that had this project been properly implemented, it would have generated both employment and business opportunities — boosting the economy in the region.Meanwhile, sources in the tourism department revealed that a final decision for the utilisation of this bus was still awaited. The state transport department had also refused to register the bus which has now, unfortunately, become symbolic of missed opportunities and red-tapism.