More double-decker buses to hit the roads
Students and government officials enjoying a ride on the double decker bus wave during the test run of the service on Friday. PHOTO: EXPRESS
The Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP) has decided to run nine more double-decker buses to take citizens on tours of historical and tourist places in different cities.
The new buses will hit the roads this year.
An official said the department currently has five double-decker buses, three of which are operating in Lahore and one each in Rawalpindi and Bahawalpur.
After the success of the service in Lahore and Rawalpindi, the authorities decided to run nine more buses. Officials of the department gave a detailed briefing to Punjab Tourism Secretary Ehsan Bhutta regarding the new buses and their routes.
Officials told The Express Tribune that the department had procured nine double-decker and four normal buses. All the buses will be ready by November.
In Lahore, one of the buses currently departs daily from Gaddafi Stadium to the Wagah border. Two other buses are also operated.
There is currently a tourist double-decker bus in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Another double-decker and a single-decker bus service will be started.
Double-decker buses will also be run in Multan, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan and Faisalabad.
Secretary Ehsan Bhatta directed the TDCP officials to submit a complete report about the proposed bus routes in various cities.
He said the reports should include the number of electric wires, trees, overhead bridges, flyovers on each route and their height.
However, sources in the corporation said the tourist bus service in Bahawalpur was running in deficit.
The buses in Lahore and Rawalpindi are earning revenue for the government.
The sources said a tour service for South Punjab launched a few months back had not been well received.
A single-decker bus service will be operated between Rawalpindi and Murree.
Weekly tours will be started from Lahore to Kartarpur Sahib.
Secretary Ehsan Bhatta said electric vehicles would be run in Lahore to take tourists from the parking areas to the tourist spots.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 30th, 2022.