SIALKOT: The Sialkot district administration restored the tourist bus service after a two-month suspension on Thursday.

The tourist double decker bus will ply on city roads braving low and dangling electrical wires hanging on streets. The bus was suspended by the district administration due to the lack of safety reasons.

The major reason behind the suspension of the bus service was low and dangling electrical wires, cables and pylons on almost all roads of Sialkot as the bus was unable to run on these roads due to these impediments.

Both the Sialkot district administration and the Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco) remained unable to remove these electrical wires and pylons from the roads in the bus suspension period. Despite these hurdles, the administration has resumed the service.

On Thursday, the bus staff and Gepco officials remained present on the rooftop of the bus and lifted these wires with wooden sticks to ensure passage to the bus.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Umer Sher Chattha said the senior officials of both the Sialkot district administration and Gepco conducted a survey of these roads for the early removal of these dangling wires. He said these wires would be removed.

On Sept 16, 2019, the district administration had launched the Sialkot Tourist Bus Service.

Sialkot is the second district in Punjab after Lahore where the tourist bus service was launched in collaboration with Sialkot exporters. Up to Rs30 million (donated by Sialkot exporters) was spent on the ‘Sialkot Tourist Bus Service’, with the main purpose to promote tourism in Sialkot.

The district administration has identified 14 tourist and historical points for the bus route that include Iqbal Manzil, Shawala Teja Singh and Head Marala.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2019