WCLA plans to launch night tonga service for tourists

LAHORE
To promote night tourism in the city, Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) has planned to launch first-ever night tongas in the walled city areas.
The activity is planned with the help of Adil Lahori Cultural Club (ALCC). The tongas will take the tourists to different routes, said WCLA officials while talking to The News. The WCLA has already introduced Rangeela Rickshaws to promote night tourism in the city.
The WCLA officials said the tongas will ply on Fort Road Food Street to Delhi Gate to Wazir Khan Mosque. On this route, the tourists will find the various attractions such as Shahi Hammam, Sabeel Wali Gali, Gali Surjan Singh, Haveli Alif Shah, Phoolon Wali Gali, Chita Gate, Haveli Dina Nath, Dina Nath Well and Wazir khan Mosque.
The second route on which these night tongas will ply will start from Fort Road Food Street and ends at Bhatti Gate. The tongas will travel through Texali Chowk, Shekhupurian Bazaar, Pakistan Talkies Cinema, Taranum Cinema, Heera Mandi Chowk, Bazaar-e-Hakeema, House of Rafi, House of Allama Iqbal, Mubarik Haveli and Haveli Wajid Ali.
The third route of these tongas is Fort Road Food Street to Circular Road. The WCLA officials said the route will become very popular among the tourists, especially international tourists as the tongas will pass through the all twelve gates of the Walled City of Lahore.
The officials said the tourists can get a ride on these night tongas from Fort Road Food Street at 8pm and the rides will continue till 12 midnight on Saturdays and Sundays. This will be a regular feature of the WCLA’s tourist activities.
Tanya Qureshi, WCLA senior official, said each tonga will have a tourist guide for the tourists. The tonga will also stop at different locations for the tourists to take a look at the monuments.
WCLA Director General Kamran Lashari said tonga had always been a charming and cultural ride in Lahore but unfortunately it had become rare now. “Our new generation is unaware of the tongas and its fascinations. We are trying to revive the forgotten cultural rides and make it attractive for the tourists,” Lashari said, adding the tongas will be available for the tourists to take a look of the vibrant walled city at night.
WCLA Director Marketing Asif Zaheer said the authority has planned to run these tongas on lively routes so that the tourists can feel the night life of old Lahore. “It will prove to be a charismatic ride for the tourists as tongas have always been a source of fascination,” he maintained. Tania Qureshi said that these night tongas will pass through the Royal Trail which is now illuminated for the tourists. This will surely be a new experience as now the night tourism trend would be revived once again. Before this, there has been no concept of night tourism inside the walled city and we hope to have a good response for the tourists. The objective of this activity is to revive the culture and promote is as much as we can, Tania Qureshi said.