Like elsewhere in the developed world’s tourism attracting cities like London, Paris, Dubai and Bangkok our city too will now have open double deck buses for tourists for sight seeing.
The first two of these buses under the ‘Sightseeing Lahore’ project of Tourism Development Corporation Punjab arrived in city on Friday. The buses have been parked at VPL MotorsWarehouse at 18 km Multan Road. Three more buses are expected in the month.
A spokesman of TDCP told The Nation that the inauguration of service would take place by the end of this month. “Lahore is a beautiful city and has many places for sight seeing. We have a number of heritage sites. We expect tourists from across the province. The two Volvo buses have cost a sum of $376,000. The start of this service will definitely set the wheels of local tourism in motion.
“TDCP will facilitate the tourists in every way. Public announcement system has been installed in the buses. Tourists will be informed of the important places on the route. The people who will run the service have been hired and their uniforms too are ready. The same kind of service would be provided that is being provided to tourists in international cities like London, Dubai and Bangkok.
“The terminal from where the buses will start is ready for operation. It has been made near Punjab Stadium. The route of the buses has not been finalized yet while the travel fare has also not been fixed yet. Since it is project to promote tourism the travel fare would not be high,” he explained.
Sources in TDCP told the scribe that the department has decided on two routes. “Since the terminal is near Gulberg area one proposed route is that the bus will move from the Punjab Stadium terminal to Main Boulevard, Canal Road, Mall Road, Lahore Museum and then to Minar-e-Pakistan and Lahore Fort.
“TDCP has also requested that the buses may also be allowed to ply on the Metro Bus route that would add a different flavour of Lahore to people from other cities and towns,” sources said.
The city of Lahore will be the first to have such tourism service in the country.
