PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj said that Uttarakhand has seen private investment of Rs 1,200 crore in tourism projects under the Tourism Policy 2023–30. He said that the State will develop new tourism destinations as part of ongoing expansion of facilities.
Maharaj said that tourism has played a significant role in the State’s development over the past 25 years. He shared that domestic tourist arrivals increased from 110.79 lakh in 2000 to 593.74 lakh in 2024, while foreign tourist arrivals rose from 56,766 to 177 lakh in the same period. He added that 59 lakh pilgrims and tourists visited Char Dham and Hemkund Sahib in 2025, compared to 16.19 lakh in 2000. The minister said that reconstruction works worth Rs 225 crore were completed in Kedarnath after the 2013 disaster while works worth Rs 191 crore are in progress. The government is developing Badrinath as a Smart Spiritual Hill Town through CSR funds of Rs 273 crore received from public sector undertakings. Maharaj stated that the Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali Tourism Self-Employment Scheme offers grants up to Rs 33 lakh for tourism businesses while the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Home Stay Scheme provides grants up to Rs 15 lakh. A total of 1,118 beneficiaries have received support. The State is also promoting winter tourism and adventure tourism. Work is underway to improve facilities for the Adi Kailash pilgrimage. He said that the State aims to double its GDP in the next five years, with tourism expected to contribute significantly. He claimed that more than 8,000 youth have received training in hospitality, tourist guiding, tour management, astro guiding and street food services. The government has established multiple tourism circuits, including Shakt, Shaiv, Vaishnav, Vivekanand, Goljyu, Gurudwara, Navgrah, Nagaraja, Hanuman and Mahasu Devta circuits. He also informed that 16 ancient temples are being linked to tourism infrastructure under the Manaskhand Mandir Mala Mission. A similar Kedarkhand Mandir Mala Mission is also being planned. Maharaj said that work is ongoing on ropeway projects from Dehradun to Mussoorie, Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib and Sonprayag to Kedarnath. A master plan of Rs 120 crore is underway to develop infrastructure around Mahasu Devta in Hanol village of Dehradun. Mana village in Chamoli and Jaduang village in Uttarkashi are being developed under the Vibrant Village programme. Timmer Sain Mahadev, near Niti village, is being developed on the lines of Amarnath. Gartang Gali in Uttarkashi has been opened to visitors after restoration. He also informed that the Big Bridge Hotel has been built at Gular in Rishikesh under tourism infrastructure expansion. Old bridges on the Char Dham route are being developed for better tourist facilities. The Cabinet has also approved construction of restaurants, parking areas and toilets on three bridges in Tehri, Chamoli and Rudraprayag. The Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board will manage these facilities. The minister said that the government is planning to develop several tourism destinations across the State to increase tourist footfall.
