HUDCO to prepare master tourism plan for TN

Chennai, July 11: The Tamil Nadu government has appointed Housingand Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO), a premier techno-financinginstitution in the country, as consultant to prepare a tourism masterplan for the state.

''The master plan will identify the tourism potential in the stateand suggest ways and means to market it. It would also formulateprojects for the development of infrastructure,'' state tourismdepartment officials said here today.

''Experts from HUDCO would soon visit all the districts toascertain the ground realities. They would also obtain feedback throughconsultations with the District Collectors and Tourist Officers,'' theofficials added.

According to the plan, HUDCO, which has vast experience in thefield and provided its expertise to the tourism department in carryingout the Phase I Mahabalipuram beautification project at a cost of Rs 10crore has been appointed as consultant through an open tender.

At present, the Phase II project was under implementation. ''Thedepartment will evolve a detailed plan after carefully studying thedraft plan submitted by the HUDCO. It will then identify the projectsto be taken up for execution,'' the officials said.

The projects would be implemented with the help of state funds.

''If we need more money, we will seek assistance from the Centre,'' they explained.

The officials said the initiative was taken as per thegovernment's announcement in Assembly in May 2006 that a tourism masterplan for the state would be formulated to improve the infrastructurefacilities for the growing tourist traffic to the state and to realisethe employment generation potential through this sector.

UNI