Kolkata: The West Bengal government has
approached central agency RITES for consultancy in upgrading
infrastructure with a view to promote tourism in the city,
Darjeeling hills and the sea resort town of Digha.
"We have approached the RITES, a Central agency
engaged in providing engineering consultancy, for a
comprehensive and sustainable tourism project in the state. We
are waiting for their response by the end of the year,"
Tourism Minister Rachpal Singh said.
Stating that the state has tremendous potential in
tourism, he said, the state needed to develop infrastructure
to draw tourists from other states and abroad.
"Infrastructure could be improved on the basis of the
RITES report. The cost required for the development could also
be known only after the report is received," he said.
Two projects -- Kolkata Heritage Mega Tourism Project
and Dooars Mega Tourism Circuit -- have been given priority
for the year 2011-12, he said.
To revive the lost glory of Darjeeling, the tourism
department has proposed to renovate and restore some of the
iconic heritage properties there, the minister said.
These heritage buildings included Planters` Club,
Gymkhana Club, St. Andrew`s Church, Darjeeling and Kalimpong
Monasteries, etc.
The tourism department also has plans to restore the
houses like Tagore Museum and Sureil Bungalow, associated with
Rabindranath Tagore at Mongpu in Darjeeling district.
At Kalimpong in the same district, the Chitrabhanu
House and Gouripur House would be co-opted in the circuit of
museums, the minister said.
PTI
