Tourism secretary Dilip Jawalkar inspected ongoing construction works at Suryadhar reservoir and Itharna temple to check the scope for adventure tourism. He also visited the IDPL land in Rishikesh. It will be recalled that 833 acre land of the forest department was leased out to IDPL and the lease is slated to end in 2021. The tourism department is proposed to build an international wellness and convention centre on this land.
Regarding the Suryadhar lake on Jakhan river, Jawalkar said that the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board will soon issue expression of interest inviting private companies for construction of a glass bridge above the barrage after ascertaining the feasibility of constructing such a bridge.
The tourism secretary said that on the directions of chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, an artificial lake is being constructed at Itharna for which a sum of about Rs 25 lakh has been released. In order to encourage adventure tourism activities, the old bridle path to Itharna temple can be developed as a trail. The tourism department has plans for developing this location as an adventure tourism destination, he said. Jawalkar further said that as part of the government’s efforts to develop remote rural areas as adventure tourism destinations, direct financial assistance is being provided for constructing new homestays, renovating old rural homes, constructing toilets and other works in villages near identified trek routes. Regarding the IDPL land, he said that the state government had decided to transfer this forest land to the tourism department. The department plans to build an international wellness and convention centre here for which a company is preparing a master plan.
Saturday, 26 December 2020 | PNS | Dehradun
