Vellore Fort to be developed as cultural destination: Soni

Chennai, Mar 18 (UNI) The Centre will develop the historic Vellore Fort in Tamil Nadu as a cultural destination in order to attract tourists from all over the world, according to Union Minister of Tourism and Culture Ambika Soni.

Inaugurating a three-day exhibition in connection with Satyagraha Centenary celebrations in which the portraits of the freedom fighters of the State and other historical pictures were depicted and organised by the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee at its headquarters in Sathyamoorthy Bhavan here today, she said the Ministry would provide face-lift and other developmental activities at the 600-year-old Fort by sanctioning more staff members.

The Tourism and Railway Ministries would introduce a Deccan Dakshin express train, covering Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala in south india, Ms Soni said the ministries would cover the important places of the tourists shortly, she added.

The minister also pointed out that her ministry will also take out the exhibition of Sathyagraha movement to north india.

Efforts were on to celeberate the 150th year of the country's first freedom struggle for a period of one year from May next, she added.

UNI