The hills are alive: Fort Munro to become ecotourism destination

Govt plans to ensure socioeconomic uplift of this underprivileged area


Imran Adnan December 18, 2016
Punjab-Balochistan highway was blocked as a result. PHOTO: tdcp.gop.pk

LAHORE: Scenic hill stations have long evoked sentiments of romance, but the Punjab government has decided to combine beauty with practicality and introduce ecotourism at Fort Munro.

The primary objective is to ensure the socioeconomic uplift of the only hill station in this underprivileged region of South Punjab, The Express Tribune learnt on Saturday.

The urban sector planning and management arm of the provincial government, The Urban Unit, has called for expressions of interest (EoIs) from leading companies to develop a ‘Master Plan for Developing Fort Munro as Eco-Tourism Destination (2017-2024)’. The target is to enhance economic activity in the area, which will in turn support tourism and maintain an ecological balance.

The unit believes unregulated and unplanned development tends to compromise the scenic value of any region as is the case with Murree and similar areas.



It also undermines tourism competitiveness of the destination. In a recent Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index report, Pakistan was ranked in 122nd out of the 144 most desirable countries for tourism. It stated that this was mainly a result of overdevelopment, lack of regulations and congestion. All these factors combined are ruining the scenic beauty of existing tourist sites.

Given the grave concerns of existing tourist resorts, the government has decided to develop a detailed plan to develop the fort area. Official documents indicate that either a single company or a group with a maximum of four companies can take part in the bidding process. The selected company or companies will conduct a detailed analysis and evaluate the geographical significance of Fort Munro in its regional context. The analysis will include determining its accessibility to or from surrounding areas as well as economic and competitive advantages.

The consulting company also will document the tourism demand based on past visits of tourists, existing population and growth trends, living conditions, built environment, quality of urban and rural fabric, existing infrastructure and municipal services. Also, a hydrological study will be conducted to identify water sources, while the same analysis will identify the tourism potential of lakes, parks, gardens, wildlife areas and the mausoleum of Pir Sakhi Sarwar. The company will evaluate tourism supporting infrastructure, facilities and services and crafts promotion. Finally flora, fauna and existing forest cover study will be carried out, along with a disaster risk assessment.

The company will develop a detailed master plan, in consultation with key decision makers, professionals, the local community, academia and social activists to identify areas to promote for tourism. It will also identify those areas which may need to be restricted to tourists in order to preserve local cultural values.

Once the client has agreed, the consulting firm will provide detailed drawings of tourism destination zones, including viewing sites, decks, parks, gardens; resorts, hotels, motels, rest houses, eateries, public toilets, telecommunication points, banks and money changers. It will also develop routes or trails to connect various attraction points to enhance the visitors' experience.

Fort Munro, part of the Suleiman Mountain Range, is a hill station accessible by road in South Punjab and is located at a height of 6,470 feet above sea level in Dera Ghazi Khan. Places that interest tourists include Dames Lake, Piala, Ganji Pahari Mountain, the British graveyard, the military fort and shrines of famous Sufi saints. Currently, the main tourist resort at Fort Munro belongs to Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP).

To provide tourist attractions, the Punjab government has already planned to allocate Rs735 million for a cable car system and allied projects.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 19th, 2016.

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