WCLA to launch ‘Rangeela Rickshaw’ to promote tourism

LAHORE
WALLED City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) is going to introduce Rangeela Rickshaw in the provincial capital, which will be a new trend in tourism activity in the provincial capital.
The new rickshaws are open and decorated nicely with truck art and other patterns. It was always seen that foreign tourists enjoyed rickshaw rides, so these rickshaws will be their ultimate choice and drivers in uniform will increase the beauty of these rickshaws.
Officials said the launching ceremony of this new type of rickshaws will be held on 3rd April at Fort Road Food Street. They said these rickshaws are made to promote tourism in the Walled City of Lahore and would be an attractive tourism activity being held for the first time inside the Walled City of Lahore.
These rickshaws will ply on various city roads and their initial routes will be Delhi Gate to Lahore Fort, Circular Road - historic gates, Bhatti Gate to Fort Road Food Street and Fort Road to Lahore Fort. They said a pre-hype activity for the rickshaw tourism was already ongoing in different parts of Lahore.
Director Marketing WCLA Asif Zaheer said these rickshaws would be noiseless and smoke-free. ‘We have got these made keeping in view the environmental safety,’ he said, adding that they will ply on designated routes only. The tourists would be able to ride through the historic sites by rickshaw. This is an open rickshaw made for tourism purposes. The rickshaws would station at Delhi Gate and Fort Road Food Street for tours. A tourist guide will also be available.
As per the WCLA’s plan for route 1 (Delhi Gate to Lahore Fort), the new rickshaws will took the tourists to Delhi Gate, Shahi Hammam, Haveli Bejnath, Wazir Khan Masjid, Sonehri Masjid, Baoli Bagh, Pani Wala Talaab, Langa Mandi, Food Street, Fort. Other important places these rickshaws will cover are Delhi Gate Bazaar, Akbari Mandi, Dabbi Bazaar, Chowk Rang Mehal, Waan Market, Kasera Bazaar, Kinari Bazaar, Sarafa Bazaar, Bangle Market, Moti Bazaar and Langa Mandi Bazaar. On route 2 (Bhatti Gate to Fort Road), the tourists will see Bhatti Gate, historic houses and streets, Qamar Manzil, Faqir Khana Museum, Naqsh Art Gallery, Sheikhupurian Bazaar, buggies and Doli walay, Food Street, Bhatti Gate bazaar, Bazaar-e-Hakeeman, Tehsil Bazaar, Bazaar Judge Muhammad Latif, Tibbi Gali, Neecha Chaitraam and Fort Road Food Street.
Special food spots are also developed on the route of these rickshaws where the tourists can enjoy traditional desi and Lahori food, including Halwa Pori, Pathooray, Dahi Bhalay, Siri Paye, Nihari and etc.
DG WCLA Kamran Lashari said introducing new trends in tourism would enable us to attract tourists. He said walled city could be the largest hub of tourism if it promoted well, and we aimed at achieving this target. ‘Rickshaw rides are always fascinating for the tourists and experiencing heritage would be a charm for them,’ he concluded. Media Manager WCLA Tania Qureshi said these colourful rickshaws would be decorated on local truck art patterns and designed to attract tourists, especially foreigners. ‘So far tourists are enjoying the pre-launch free ride,’ she said and maintained that in future WCLA would be starting Tonga and bicycle tourism as well.