Sightseeing Lahore: Shahbaz inaugurates double-decker tourist bus service
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LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif inaugurated on Wednesday Pakistan's first sightseeing double-decker bus service for tourists in the provincial capital.
The double-decker bus service, namely "Sightseeing Lahore", is part of a project of the Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP) to promote cultural and historical heritage of the province.
"Initially, two open-roof double-decker buses have been introduced for guided tour of the historical city while three more buses will be imported from China in the second phase."
The chief minister, accompanied by Provincial Minister for Tourism Rana Mashhood and former chairman Lahore Transport Company Khawaja Ahmed Hassan, travelled in the bus from the Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Talking to media, Shahbaz said it was the first time in the country's history that a double-decker bus service was being launched in Lahore, adding that it would add to the city's beauty.
"Tourists from not only Lahore but from other cities would also find amusement in this service."
Related: Red bus in town
He said that the general public, especially children would travel and visit historic places of the city.
The chief minister directed the managing director of TDCP to "leave no stone unturned" in providing the best atmosphere to tourists.
Responding to a query, Shahbaz said that he faced criticism for developing public welfare projects such as Metro Bus Service and Orange Line. However, he added, that his services to the masses would continue, defying all criticism.
Also read: ‘Over 200,000 commuters to ride on metro bus’
In a jovial mood, he told a reporter that people "opposing the project" would also travel and rejoice from the bus service.
Elaborating details of the service, the chief minister said that each bus, whose route will cover "almost every historical site in the city", has a seating capacity of 48 persons on the upper deck and 18 on the lower one.
He said that a bus terminal had been established near Punjab Stadium on Ferozepur Road while another terminal had been built near Food Street on Fort Road.
Also read: PTDC starts Pindi-Naran bus service
The vehicles are equipped with a sound system to guide tourists about the city's history and places of interest along the route.
Children under the age of ten and disabled persons are exempted from paying the Rs200 fare of the bus service.
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On DawnNews
Comments (60) Closed
Nov 25, 2015 11:06pm
Who will go on it
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Nov 25, 2015 11:07pm
When our rulers stop investing on physical resource to get their commission instead of investing on humans. No boundaries for their shamelessness.
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Nov 25, 2015 11:11pm
All is imported from China so what inaugurated here!
Real achievement would have been made in Pakistan!
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Nov 25, 2015 11:17pm
Public will definitely get a ticket for sleep. What's amazing about Lahore?
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Nov 25, 2015 11:19pm
We need sightseeing bus in Karachi too. Is Bilawal Bhutto listening?
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Nov 25, 2015 11:22pm
Double decker buses...orange line trains.....metro buses....motorways and killing in the name of religion...killing because you can.....rampant poverty ....zero health care for the people etc........ all going on together.
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Nov 25, 2015 11:29pm
It's like 'Chuna Lagado' when you have nothing real things to do.
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Nov 25, 2015 11:35pm
@f : I will! and really enjoy it too!!!
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Nov 25, 2015 11:41pm
No Clean water, no health, no education, no justice for the masses but they can all ride on a double decker. Bravo. Well done Shabaz Sharif
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Nov 25, 2015 11:47pm
It is an excellent initiative that needs to be appreciated. It will also promote tourism.
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Nov 25, 2015 11:51pm
Are we ready for such rides under the prevailing security concerns?
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Nov 26, 2015 12:01am
The Karachi city which is providing the 70 percent of the country tax revenue is not getting a single project while all of the funding from Federal govt is reserved for Punjab only. Karachi must be made a separate province ruling only by the urban representative so that they can made this city wonderful like Mustafa Kamal was doing.
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Nov 26, 2015 12:32am
How come all these developments are happening in Punjab? What are all the government of other provinces are doing? People of other provinces should demand the same as these projects create jobs and help improve the local economy. Every step in the right direction matters.
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Nov 26, 2015 12:34am
Excellent initiative! To those criticising - get a life!
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Nov 26, 2015 12:37am
Nawaz brothers never ever allow anyone to take any credit of anything in Punjab. Wherever there is an Inauguration there is only One Man show.
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Nov 26, 2015 12:46am
First double decker bus service in the history of Pakistan? Shahbaz Sharif,I remember riding in a double decker bus from Ichray to Gawal Mandi when I was a kid.You may have been living in Saudi Arabia at that time.
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Nov 26, 2015 12:47am
The open top double decker bus will be a hit in the summer time.
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Nov 26, 2015 12:55am
@Haseena302,Lets see here,why would this bus service help and how is it an excellent initiative ??????? Why should people come to ride the bus? there is no running water,no electricity half the time or longer,open top bus in summer? lol,you can go ride the bus.You need to educate yourself about life before making a comment like that.People are being realistic,their need education,jobs energy issues resolved.People have to wait till 2018 to have electricity but they can get bus service going in a few months.
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Nov 26, 2015 01:10am
Do something for Karachi please
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Nov 26, 2015 01:13am
@Haseena302 Those criticizing have a sense of what is important for Pakistan unlike selfish people like you who really are part of the problem.
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Nov 26, 2015 01:18am
@Lodhi you are right sir , there was a double decker bus service for islamia college in peshawar in early fifties.
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Nov 26, 2015 01:22am
Great initiative, on my next visit to Lahore soon I will try it. Going to Lahore is always a treat for anyone.
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Nov 26, 2015 01:23am
Let's view all that wonderful concrete everywhere on a bus ride!
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Nov 26, 2015 02:22am
no employment - ride lahore metro
no water - ride pindi metro
no justice - ride lahore double decker
no peace - wait for "bullet" train
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Nov 26, 2015 02:31am
number 1: it is not first double decker bus service in Lahore. about 9-10 years ago double deckers were roaming from main blvd. to mall road . just like those have vanished, this will too.
number 2: for tourists? oh he means local tourism. who already book vans and buses or have their own car. otherwise what tourists?
number 3: it is an utter waste of money
number 4: made for tourists but children will also travel. what confusion in the objective of this project
SS wins again in wasting my money!
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Nov 26, 2015 02:32am
@Parvez you forgot to mention DOLPHIN POLICE FORCE
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Nov 26, 2015 02:37am
@Lodhi yes it will serve the poor's good thinking
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Nov 26, 2015 02:41am
Double decker buses in Lahore were present in the early 1970's.
I would take my children on it as they have never seen majority of Lahore.
Regarding no development in Karachi, we need to ask the Sindh government why it is lagging. We need to move on all fronts including poverty alleviation, education, health care but promoting tourism is also importanrt.
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Nov 26, 2015 02:58am
Very stupid design. Reads like LAHOO RAY LAHOO. Never read Lahore written like this.
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Nov 26, 2015 03:09am
Lahore is the 30th most polluted city in the world, every second person is suffering from respiratory infections, who would like to sight see walled city Lahore, do something about air pollution first, I don't want to be pessimistic, but many bus projects have began and later they are only left as junk rusted pieces in empty plots. Need quality strict professionals to look after such projects..
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Nov 26, 2015 03:10am
@Parvez absolutely Pervez. Are these leaders smoking weed or consciously ignoring issues of priority?
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Nov 26, 2015 03:11am
@sfoman add the most corrupt police, equally dangerous as criminals. Literally, telling what I have observed.
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Nov 26, 2015 03:45am
The Sharif brothers are going to spend whatever it costs to build Lahore
a city with all possible facilities. Why, the answers to this will only be found
when there is a change at Federal level.
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Nov 26, 2015 03:58am
Lahore can be a big tourist hub, targeting foreign born asians especially Sikhs.
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Nov 26, 2015 04:11am
It's ok but the last options are being used as first one, or no management how to make and work on prefrence list- health; education; and Uan resource development.
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Nov 26, 2015 04:20am
Cant wait to ride this bus. Well done to govt of Punjab. Setting good precedent for other provincial governments.
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Nov 26, 2015 04:49am
@Iqbal
Sir where you get that 70% number and who lives in Karachi. Are they not Pakistanis (Muhajir, Patthan Baluch Punjabis)
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Nov 26, 2015 05:07am
Double decker buses in Lahore 1st time? I remember going to school in them in mid 1950s in Lahore.
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Nov 26, 2015 05:14am
These two brothers must be appointed as Minister of Motorway and Motors...
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Nov 26, 2015 05:20am
Most of the well known cities that have something to offer have tourist buses and Lahore has a lot to offer in sight seeing. Pakistanis and Lahoris should appreciate such ventures, its the sign of progress, moreover the public indirectly benefits exposure, jobs, and knowing about Lahores history besides some entertainment for children and families. Something is better than nothing.
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Nov 26, 2015 05:24am
Thats the delima of Pakistan, that costly money which borrowed on high interest been spent on stupid projects just to pilish their own politics nothing else than that. My question to the Sharif brothers is. how much money have you spend for education, health, security, creating jobs and tourism? How can one tour the city without having proper security, here I am not talking about Pakistanis, but foreigner. Please do not put burden of borrow on poor people, if you really want to contribute towards this country then bring your own into this country atleast.
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Nov 26, 2015 05:47am
How much was spending?
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Nov 26, 2015 05:49am
Tourists who? With all the violence that happens in the cities, who will want to cage themselves on a DD Bus. Chf Min Sahib, you should have spent all that money on your citizens, at least that would have been beneficial.
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Nov 26, 2015 06:24am
@London There is a lot to see in Lahore!! Better than London or anybcity in world.
And definately I will go there & see Lahore again
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Nov 26, 2015 06:27am
@f Many would go!! Atleast my family would definately as every one is excited..
If we could do the same in Landon & Dubai (where actually there is nothing to see), why not here?
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Nov 26, 2015 06:32am
@Shame great comment
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Nov 26, 2015 07:08am
Congratulation Punjab Government, at least doing something.
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Nov 26, 2015 07:56am
no go find the foreign tourists..
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Nov 26, 2015 08:25am
I wonder if the chief minister can see the misery around him from the top of the double-decker.
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Nov 26, 2015 08:28am
Just went to the historical salt mines, once you get off the motorway the road is pathetic, ruins the whole experience. Please restore, would be nice for the concerned dept, to learn from western countries how they present, preserve and glamorize such site of immense beauty and significance.
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Nov 26, 2015 08:28am
@ss, Yah ! this is the right way to measure the progress in Punjab. " Sight seeing in double-deckers."
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Nov 26, 2015 08:31am
@f .............. you and me though we never voted for him.
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Nov 26, 2015 08:33am
that's how Lahories are pleased with metros, orange lanes, double deckers and paint them "luhore luhore aye" and that's all. country and city sorry city and country on road to progress.
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Nov 26, 2015 08:35am
ok, can someone please bother to do some development in Sindh, Baluchistan and kpk.arent they also a part of the federation.
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Nov 26, 2015 08:39am
@SAK(USA) .............. no they are not because pmln is just punjab party.
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Nov 26, 2015 08:42am
IK introduces buses in KPK - wow, great work, this will definitely attract tourists , blah blah and so on...
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Nov 26, 2015 10:22am
@Zala It's a good step to promote local tourism by introducing these busses in Lahore. Similar bus service should be introduced in all the main cities of the country such as Karachi, Hyderabad, Quetta, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Peshawar. However, it is necessary to addresses the security concerns first to attract the foreign tourists otherwise it will be a waste of money.
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Nov 26, 2015 10:55am
@Rvel You sound like a professional, I fully agree with you beside controlling the pollution should also address the security issue and the bus drivers and conductors should also be well trained. Moreover, keeping the local weather conditions in view the double deckers should have convertible folding roof tops on the upper seats to protect the tourists from rain or excessive heat in cities like Lahore ln summer otherwise double deckers will not be successful and only air-conditioned tourist buses with high and large glass widows for better viewing will be more suitable for Lahore. Double decker will be more suitable for Islamabad.
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Nov 26, 2015 10:59am
@f I will go on it if it's an international level high standard service and there is no security issue.
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Nov 26, 2015 09:18pm
Pakistan still has to import buses. Aint that a joke
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