SHIMLA, 17 DECEMBER : Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister today launched ADB funded tourism development project for Kangra, by laying foundation stone of Tourist Information and Reception Centre, at Pong Dam estimated to cost Rs. 2.30 crore which included Rs. 1.22 crore on Reception Centre, Rs. 70 lakh Parking and Toilets, Rs. 18 lakh camping site, Rs. 9 lakh on Jetty and Rs. 11 lakh on landscaping.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister said that the State had succeeded in getting a Rs. 500 crore tourism development project sanctioned from the Asian Development Bank out of which Rs. 15 crore would be spent in district Kangra. He said that Shimla, Naina Devi, Chintpurni, Maharana Pratap Sagar, Kangra and Masroor rock temple would be taken up in the first phase while remaining areas would be covered under second phase. He said that the first phase was likely to be completed by year 2014 and second phase to be launched in the year 2014 and complete in year 2017. He said that all identified tourist destinations in different parts of the state would be covered under the programme.
Prof. Dhumal said that Rs. 22 crore would be spent in Chintpurni Tourism Circuit. He said that renovation work of rock temple Masroor would also be started on priority. He said that a master plan had been formulated to carry beautification work of capital town Shimla by spending Rs. 18 crore over the same. He said that Project Implementation Unit would be set up at Neharan Pukhar of Dehra sub-division of the district to oversee progress of different developmental projects in the district. He said that local youth would be trained in the Maharana Pratap Sagar area to adopt tourist guide as their self employment avocation. He said that the local youth, who were well conversant with the flora and fauna in the lake, would introduce pheasant lovers to various species of birds migrating to the lake in winter and other seasons. He said that motor boats ferrying in the lake would be silent engine loaded. He said that more bird watch towers would also be constructed to facilitate convenient bird watching in the area. He said that the State Government would construct appropriate shelter to protect the statue of Maharana Pratap besides repainting the same.
Shri Ravinder Singh Ravi, IPH Minister, Smt. Sarveen Chaudhary, SJ&E Minister, Shri Rakesh Pathania, Shri Des Raj, MLAs, Shri Vikram Thakur, Vice Chairman, HP state Forest Corporation, Shri Kripal Parmar, former MP, Shri R.S. Gupta, DC, Shri Diljeet Thakur, SP, Dr. Arun Sharma, Director of Tourism and Civil Aviation, other senior officers and prominent people of the area were present on the occasion.
