WCLA plans guided tour of Bhati

LAHORE
After getting tremendous response over guided tour of Royal Trail, Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) is planning to start a guided tour of Bhatti Gate and its surroundings.
This service will be launched on World Tourism Day, which is celebrated every year on September 27. This year, the theme of the World Tourism Day is to have one billion tourists and one billion opportunities.
The day aims to promote awareness in the international community of the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and economic values.
A senior official of WCLA said Bhatti Gate has always remained the center of attraction in Lahore and that is why WCLA is starting these tours from Bhatti Gate.
This will promote tourism among the local residents, besides attracting the visiting foreigners.
Tania Qureshi, communication head of WCLA, said we have almost 30 trained tour guides who would be conducting these tours. There is no time limit and the tours will be conducted 24/7.
The tourists guides are well-equipped with the knowledge and information and also the Rangeela rickshaws and Tongas will be touring the same route.
This guided tour will start at Bhatti Gate and end at Fort Road Food Street. During the tour, the tourists will witness the attractions including Bhatti Gate, Gali Molana Rohi, house of the Poet of East Dr Allama Iqbal, Mohallah Patranga, Mohallah Chomalah, Oonchi Masjid, Shop of Singer Rafi, Sheesh Mehal Ghati, Moti Tibba, Haveli Wajid Ali Shah, Haveli Mubarak Begum, Faqir Khana Museum, Koocha Faqir Khana, Tehseel Bazaar, Tibbi Gali, Sheikhupurian Bazaar, Pakistan Talkies, Aziz Theatre, House of Melody Queen Noor Jehan, House of Sir Ganga Ram, Neevan Chaitraam and Fort Road Food Street.
WCLA Director General Kamran Lashari, while talking with the scribe, said this is the first time that guided tours are being provided for the public inside different areas of the walled city.
“We have conducted successful tours on royal trail and hope to get a good response from the public for the Bhatti Gate as well,” he maintained.
WCLA Director Marketing Asif Zaheer said World Tourism Day is of importance and surely when the tourists come inside the walled city they will get to know of the local trades and help in economic uplift of people as well. “We have encouraged the community to open up their Havelis for the tourists. I am hopeful this will be a great experience for the people,” he said.