Punjab govt to give face lift to Wagah border

By Staff
|
Google Oneindia News

Chandigarh, May 23: Unfolding a major initiative to promote tourism along the border areas, the Punjab Government today announced to give a major face lifting to the Wagah border.

The government also announced to set up a Convention Centre at Amritsar and take steps for thedevelopment and preservation of Gobindgarh Fort at Amritsar.

For all these three projects the state government has sought a Central assistance of Rs 100 crore.

Presiding over a meeting to review various tourism projects in the state, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal asked the Tourism Department to prepare a blueprint for funding of these prestigious projects by the Centre so that these could be accomplished within a definite time frame.

He would soon take up the matter with the Union Minister for Tourism Ambika Soni for the grant of liberal funds for these projects to be undertaken in the Private Public Partnership (PPP) mode with Punjab Infrastructure Development Board.

He said that he would also take up the issue of launching a luxury train in partnership with the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation on the pattern of the Palace of Wheels. He also directed the Local Government Department to hand over the possession of additional land of 5 acres to the Tourism Department for setting up of a Convention Centre at Amritsar in the PPP mode and a similar project was also being planned for Ludhiana.

Conceding another demand of the Tourism Department for vacating the premises of forts at Ludhiana, Bahadurgarh and Sultanpur Lodhi from the Punjab Police, the Chief Minister directed the Principal Secretary Tourism to submit a comprehensive proposal to enable him to take up the matter with the police authorities.

He said that once these forts were vacated they should be developed and preserved in consultation with renowned heritage experts.

Mr Badal also asked the Tourism Department to tie up with the private transporters to start luxury buses for tourists and pilgrims who intend to visit tourist spots in the state. He also discussed the ways and means to set up Hotel Management Institute at village Boothgarh in Hoshiarpur district.

The meeting was attended by Tourism Minister Hira Singh Gabria, Chief Secretary R I Singh, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister D S Guru, Principal Secretary Finance D S Kalha, Principal Secretary Tourism Geetika Kalha besides the officers of Tourism and PIDB.


UNI

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