Tunnel between Jaipur tourist hotspots opens

Jaipur: An eighteenth century tunnel connecting Amber Palace and Jaigarh Fort, two major attractions in Rajasthan`s capital city, was inaugurated Sunday and thrown open for tourists, officials said.

While inaugurating the tunnel, Rajasthan Tourism Minister Bina Kak said that the tunnel was believed to have been constructed as a defence mechanism. "In case of an attack on Amber Palace, the royal family, noblemen and others could be evacuated undetected from the palace to the fort which was well defended by the army," said Kak. She added that the 325 metre-long tunnel was discovered during excavation an year ago. "The project has been undertaken in the public-private partnership (PPP) mode. The path along the tunnel has been made motorable. To facilitate the tourists to reach Jaigarh, battery operated golf carts will be operated," said a state tourist department officer. Princess Diya Kumari, a member of the erstwhile Jaipur royal family, told media persons that the tunnel offered adventure to tourists. "It would increase the tourist footfall at the Amber Palace and the Jaigarh Fort. We will now be exploring the ways and means of finding out more such tunnels from the City Palace," the princess said. IANS