Another sightseeing double-decker bus service is on the cards for the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad which is likely to start in July this year by the Punjab Tourism Department.

The first double-decker sightseeing bus service was launched on August 18, 2020 by Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.

The initiative suffered some operational blows initially due to the Covid-19 related issues. However, it is now doing a great job and despite having subsidized fares for passengers, the service is generating sufficient financial resources.

The bus route spans over 42 kilometres with sightseeing landmarks en route including the Allama Iqbal Park (Rawalpindi), Faisal Mosque, Blue Area, Constitution Avenue, Lake View Park, Rose and Jasmine Garden, Shakarparian and Pak Monuments and Lok Virsa Museum.

The Allama Iqbal Park, which is located at Murree Road, has the terminal for the bus service. The Faisal Mosque, another landmark on the route, is a major tourist attraction in Islamabad and is referred to as a contemporary and influential feature of Islamic architecture.

At Constitution Avenue a number of government buildings that can be seen along the roadside includes the Aiwan-e-Sadr, the prime minister’s office, the office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Supreme Court of Pakistan and some others.

The Rose and Jasmine Garden, a recreational spot in Islamabad, which is located near the Sports Complex Aabpara at the Kashmir Highway, also lies on the designated route. The Pakistan Monument, a national monument and a heritage museum that is located in the western Shakarparian Hills, also falls on the transport service’s route.

The double-decker bus has a capacity of 66 tourists, 48 for the upper deck while the remaining 18 for the lower deck of the bus. Generally, it undertakes one or two trips in a day. The first trip starts at 10 in the morning and the second trip is scheduled to take place at 3pm provided at least 15 commuters are available for the ride. The bus service also takes a 45-minute break at the Lake View Park and another 45-minute break at the Pak Monument.

Naveed Anjum, the project manager of the sightseeing bus service, told Bol News that in the beginning due to the restrictions related to the pandemic, the bus service was not yielding the desired results. However, he said that since the last six months, the service has met its expenses.

He said that a total number of nine staff members including the manager, driver, helper, guide, two guards, etc have been deputed by the Tourism Department at the project. He also informed that so far around 12,000 tourists have already availed the facility.

He said the government provides subsidy on the facility to promote local tourism. He also said that the two-way fare of the bus service is Rs400 per tourist.

According to Anjum, after seeing the interest of the general public with regard to the bus service, the government has planned to launch another double-decker service on the same route.

The project manager said that recently during the foreign ministers’ meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Islamabad, the UNDP had reserved the bus service for envoys who thoroughly enjoyed the ride. Anjum said that reservations for family tours, educational tours, corporate tours, etc can also be made with regard to the sightseeing service. He also said that exclusive reservation of the bus service can be done by depositing Rs25,000.

However, he said, the department offers discount for special children and for the children who are suffering from thalassemia. He apprised that free pick and drop services are provided for these children.

He said similar bus service was launched in Lahore by the Punjab Tourism Department and it had also launched the same service for Bahawalpur a year ago. Furthermore, he informed that the department also has plans to launch the sightseeing bus service for other cities of the province including DG Khan, Faisalabad and Multan.

The bus terminal has a waiting lounge facility for the tourists where they can enjoy the scenic views alongside the busy Murree Road, Rawalpindi. The height of the double-decker carrier is some 14.3 feet which is at par with the international standard and can run on any road in Rawalpindi or Islamabad as per the standard height. The lower deck of the bus has got air-condition facility which is much needed in the summer days.