By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 20 Nov: “The formation of the Uttarakhand Travel Development Authority should be expedited. Additionally, the process of designating the remote village of Byunkhi in Rudraprayag district as a tourism village, and initiating the development of the Nath Circuit, Pandav Circuit, Vivekananda Circuit, and Rabindranath Tagore Circuit, should begin immediately.”
These instructions were given by the State Tourism Minister, Satpal Maharaj, during a departmental meeting with tourism officials held on Wednesday at the Tourism Development Board office in Garhi Cantt. Maharaj also issued directions for the swift integration of the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) and Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) and reviewed the status of the Mahasu Devta master plan.
During the meeting, Minister Maharaj directed the tourism department to collaborate with the Culture Department to make preparations for the Raghunath pilgrimage through Tanakpur to Janakpur, Nepal, as well as the procession of Lord Shiva from Pashupatinath to Triyuginarayan. He noted that such events would not only foster mutual goodwill but also strengthen India-Nepal relations.
The Minister also gave instructions for the development of the ancient Mananamai Temple in Rudraprayag district. He suggested initiating talks with the Government of India to relax the stringent rules of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) regarding the restoration and repair of temples protected under ASI’s norms. Currently, ASI’s strict regulations prohibit construction within 100 metres of protected temples, hindering the development and restoration of ancient religious sites.
During the meeting, the Minister highlighted the issue of cash payments for foreign tours, stating that such a provision should not be allowed. Instead, travel cards should be introduced for foreign travel. Referring to the Kalimath Temple, he pointed out that the steep steps leading to the temple create difficulty for pilgrims, particularly the elderly and differently-abled. He emphasised the need to shorten the steps and provide wheelchair access for such pilgrims.
The meeting was attended by the Tourism Secretary and several other officials from the tourism department.
