Punjab to have its first heritage hotel in Patiala

Patiala July 10 (UNI) The historical Rajindra Kothi in Barandari Garden will be transformed into the state's first heritage hotel in a joint venture with a New Delhi-based company credited with developing the famous Neemrana Fort into a star tourist resort.

A lease agreement to develop the Kothi was signed here between the Punjab Government and Neemrana Hotel Private Limited in the presence of Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister S Jagmohan Singh Kang.

Addressing the mediapersons on the occasion, Capt Singh said the Group has been entrusted with the conservation, preservation and re-use of Rajindra Kothi as Heritage Hotel on the basis of lease agreement for thirty years.

The Patiala project would be the 12th project handled by the prestigious Neemrana Hotel and was likely to be completed by 2008.

The old records of State Archives Department at present maintained in the Rajindra Kothi, would be shifted and preserved in a scientific manner under the supervision of National Museum, New Delhi in the old Commissioner, D C and Session Courts building on the Mall, Patiala, he said.

The Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) had been entrusted with the job of renovating the whole complex in consultation with National Museum, New Delhi.

Capt Singh said there were elaborate plans to develop Patiala, a city studded with palaces, museums and gardens, into a major tourist destination to showcase its rich 'Patialavi Culture'.

The old and glorious monument of Sheran Wala would be rebuilt with its original grandeur and design with Gurudwara, Temple, Church and Mosque constructed inside, as a testimony to the age-old cultural and secular values of the erstwhile princely state of Patiala.

He also said the Mohindra Kothi, where the state government had granted permission to run the newly established Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law from the current academic session provisionally, till it constructs its own campus, would also be preserved and conserved as a heritage site along with 'Mai Di Saran'.

He said that state government was also committed to preserve the landmark monuments symbolising the rich historical past like the Quila Mubarak, Old Moti Bagh Palace, Sheesh Mahal and Bahadurgarh fort as Patiala had been declared as Counter Magnet Town under the NCR Plan.

UNI JN SBA RS1739