Kalimpong, June 13: After lending wings
to Bagdogra's dream of getting international status, Union
tourism minister Jagmohan today unveiled his plans to convert
Kalimpong into a tourism hub.
`There are a lot of unwanted but beautiful
buildings in many places of the region. We want to utilise
them. The locations of these old bungalows are also in scenic
surroundings. We can easily convert these bungalows into tourist
resorts,` Jagmohan said.First in line for the makeover are
the old bungalows in Munsong and Ghoom.
`There are beautiful places, particularly
in Munsong, which can be tourist destinations. The main occupation
is cinchona plantation. As cinchona plantation is also going
through a bad phase, tourism can prove to be an alternative
for the local people,` he added.
Elaborating on other plans to attract more
tourists, Jagmohan said: `We want to convert old bungalows
in Ghoom and Kurseong to tourist resorts. We are also exploring
the possibility of making tourist huts on the way to Tiger
Hill so that visitors can stay there.`
The huts, he added, would allow visitors
to spend more time sightseeing around the Tiger Hill area
and not go there only for a few hours to see the sunrise.
Stressing on the importance of the Darjeeling
Himalayan Railway to boost tourism in the region, Jagmohan
said: `The toy train will play an important part in boosting
tourism. Ghoom and Kurseong are well connected by railway.`
The region, which has been receiving around
Rs. 7 crore for two or three years to promote the tourist
spots, will be allocated additional funds to initiate the
plans once a survey has been conducted to plan to approach
to the facelift process, Jagmohan said. He added that a lot
of work was needed to be done to improve the tourism prospectus
of Darjeeling.
`There are problems like haphazard constructions
and water scarcity in the Darjeeling hills. We have to see
what can be done to improve this,` he said. |
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