Lack of facilities hampering tourism in Kushinagar

Kushinagar (UP), May 12 (ANI): Tourism in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar town has come to a halt due to a lack of basic facilities.

In spite of being an international tourist spot, the region is unclean and lacks even basic facilities like drinking water and electricity.

"The cleanliness between the main temple and Ramabhar (Stupa) is not taken care of. A road has been constructed but there is no space to sit or any facility of drinking water. There is no guide who can help the tourists. Electricity is only there for about 13 hours a day," said Rajendra Kumar Gupta, owner of a hotel in Kushinagar.

Tourists claim that there is no security in the region and the arrangements are not in accordance with the importance of the place.

"The kind of security arrangements that should be enforced are not there at all. We will not get to see even a single constable near the road or the temple premises. Secondly, the office of the Tourism Department cannot cater to the needs of the tourists; they are not even allowed to take photographs near the office. The kind of arrangements that should be there is not seen," said Akhilesh Tiwari, a tourist from Mumbai.

Mahendra Bhante, the vice president of Buddhist Monk Association of Kushinagar, said that the state tourism department's office is close most of the time.

"The tourism department is not at all concerned about Kushinagar.

The office is not even good. There are no officers in the office. There is no security or a source of information for the tourists who come here from the tourism department. If a tourist falls ill after coming here, there is no facility of medication," said Bhante.

He added that tourists from all over the world used to visit the place but seeing the bad conditions, it seemed that it would lose its importance soon. (ANI)