BAHAWALPUR: A double-decker bus project costing Rs300 million will soon be launched in the city to promote tourism in pursuance of the government`s policy.

Divisional Commissioner Nayyar Iqbal said this at a meeting here on Tuesday.

The commissioner said that with the launch of the bus service in the city and suburbs, the historic and tourism identification of the historic city could be effectively projected in addition to extending the opportunities of providing jobs to the local people.

According to the preliminary feasibility report, over 300,000 tourists and visitors from home and abroad could be attracted to the historic region of the country. He opined that the city could be converted into atourism centre due to Bahawalpur`s historic and heritage places and other attractive places in the vast desert of Cholistan like Derwara Fort and others.

The bus service, in the beginning, would be introduced from Bahawalpur city to Lal Sohanra National Park.

The meeting was told that for the tourism bus service, state of the art bus terminals comprising parking areas, waiting sheds for tourists along with tuck shops and other facilities would be constructed on the prescribed routes.