Though the Tourism Year 2007 in Gujarat went unnoticed, the state is determined to deck up itself for more tourists. Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd (TCGL) will soon begin work on the tourism development action plan report submitted by the Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT) recently. |
The report aims at developing infrastructure of around 36 towns identified as tourist spots in the state. The cost of the project, which is yet to be ascertained, will be borne by TCGL along with respective local authorities. |
|
The institute, in its study conducted over a period of nine months, found that instead of developing specific tourist spots, the government would be required to develop or even overhaul local infrastructure like transport system, hospitality, public amenities and health. |
|
"One cannot isolate a particular aspect of a town and develop it as a tourist destination and neglect its other parts. To promote tourism, TCGL will have to integrate all the government agencies like road department, irrigation, collectorate, municipal bodies and even the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)," said PVK Rameshwar, in-charge of the action plan report at CEPT. |
|
The 36 towns are Ambaji, Somnath, Palitana, Dakor, Junagadh, Rajpipla, Velavadar, Patan, Lothal, Modhera, Siddhpur, Dev ni Mori (Shamalji dam), Sasangir, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Sabarmati Ashram - Ahmedabad, Dandi, Dandi route, MG Vidhyalaya - Rajkot, Polo, Idar, Shamlaji, Bhuj, Tera village, Narayan Sarovar, Mata-no-math, Mandvi - Kutch, Dholavira, Ahmedpur, Umargaon, Ubharat, Sarkhej, Viramgam, Bahucharaji, Vadnagar and Dwarka. |
|
The identified towns feature tourist spots ranging from historical monuments to Nature-based. |
|
Meanwhile, TCGL is believed to have begun talks with several local agencies to initiate work on restoration of monuments and local infrastructure. |
|
"Work on developing these towns will begin soon, once the cost for the project gets the nod in the state Budget," said PD Vaghela, managing director of TCGL. Vaghela, however, refused to divulge the details of the project cost. |
|
|
|