Guj govt okays Rs 78.33 cr tourism package

Gandhinagar, Oct 3 (UNI) In its efforts to promote tourism, the Gujarat government today cleared a Rs 78.33 crore package to develop 67 places of tourist interest across the state.

Apart from this, the government has sought Rs 85 crore from the Centre to develop roads over 151 km in Kutch, Banaskantha and Patan under the Border Area Development programme, said Urban Development Minister I K Jadeja.

Giving details of the package, the Minister said a total of Rs 27.65 crore will be spent on development of 30 roads linking about 24 tourist places of national importance, he said. The 121.93 km stretch links places like Adalaj stepwell, Nalsarovar lake, Vautha (confluence of five rivers) Dakor, known for an ancient Krishna temple, Becharaji, Patan, Modhera, Vadnagar, Dholavira, Mata no mod, Pavagadh, Ambaji and Saputara.

He said another Rs 6.09 crore has been sanctioned to repair 68-km stretch of panchayat road, that connects 18 places of tourist interest like Dholka, Rajkot's Virpur Jalaram temple, Ambeti-Andhari road etc.

Repair of a 176.83 km -long route, along Nalsarovar, Patan, Kharaghoda, Tarnetar, Sankheswar etc, will be taken up at a cost of Rs 16.74 crores, he said.

Mr Jadeja said another Rs 27.85 crore will be spent on tourism facilities along 182-km long road connecting Tarnetar, Ambaji, Palitana, Porbander, Narmada dam etc.

The package, which will cover 549 kms in toto, has been announced as part of the state government's programme to celebrate 2006 as the 'Tourism Year', a statement said.

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