Punjab to develop pilgrimage tourist circuit

Chandigarh, May 8 (UNI) The Punjab government has chalked out an ambitious plan to develop a pilgrimage tourist circuit at an estimated cost of Rs 9.20 crore.

The share of the central government in this venture would be Rs 8 crore.

This circuit would cover the historical sites of Anandpur Sahib, Kirtapur Sahib, Chamkaur Sahib, Fatehgarh Sahib, Talwandi Sabo, Muktsar, Sultanpur Lodhi, Goindwal, Khadoor Sahib, Baba Bakala, Sri Hargobindpur, Dera Baba Nanak, Batala, Amritsar, Rauza Sharif (Fatehgarh Sahib), Devi Talab (Jalandhar) and Batal Church (19 th century) in Gurdaspur district.

Likewise, the government would launch and promote a 'Freedom Trail' that would take tourists to important sites associated with the independence movement. These places would include Nabha, Jaito, Malerkotla, Khatkar Kalan, Feorzepur, Aliwal, Ferozeshah, Misriwala, Mudki, Sabraon and Faridkot town, besides Amritsar.

This trail would be developed at an total estimated cost of Rs 9.04 crore of which Rs 7.84 would be the central governments share.

These decisions were taken at a meeting to review various tourists projects here today. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal chaired the meeting.

The meeting also decided to develop spots in Ropar, Ludhiana and Kapurthala to promote the concept of 'leisure tourism' by making optimal use of the panoramic beauty on the banks of river Satluj and Beas passing through these districts.

Addressing the meeting, Mr Badal said that Punjab would be developed as the most preferred tourist destination within the next three years, as the state has tremendous untapped tourist potential.

He asked the Secretary Tourism to prepare a master plan to develop tourism across these river sites and also explore the possibility to develop Ranjit Sagar dam as a tourist spot.

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