DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has directed officials to expand the scope of the Swaran Jayanti Guru Darshan Yatra Yojana, Sindhu Darshan Yatra, and Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, enhancing pilgrimage opportunities for citizens.

Simultaneously, the Tourism Department has been tasked to ensure better student intake across all five Institutes of Hotel Management (IHM) in Haryana.

The Chief Minister was presiding over the review meeting of Haryana Heritage and Tourism Department here today. The Heritage and Tourism Minister, Dr Arvind Sharma was also present in the meeting.

The Chief Minister was informed that in a major step towards digital transformation, Haryana Tourism Corporation will digitize the booking system for banquet halls, committee rooms, and conference halls across its 42 tourist complexes.

The Chief Minister has also reviewed the recently initiated digital booking initiatives and collaborations with online travel agents like Make MyTrip and BookingGini, marking an innovative leap towards modernizing tourism services.

The Chief Minister directed that all tourist complexes of the Haryana Tourism Corporation across the state be beautified and equipped with modern facilities. He stated that this initiative will not only increase their popularity among the public but also contribute to enhancing their revenue.

He said that the State Government is committed to further boosting tourism in Haryana and has launched several unique initiatives in this direction, including the implementation of the Home Stay Scheme, promotion of farm tourism, adventure sports activities, and destination weddings.

Following the success of the destination wedding concept at Yadavindra Garden, it is now proposed to extend this initiative to include Raja Nahar Singh Palace, Faridabad. The full garden rental at Yadavindra Garden is Rs 10 lakh.

The Chief Minister emphasized the need to further beautify the garden to attract more visitors. He suggested cultivating a variety of flowers, similar to those in the famous Tulip Garden of Srinagar, to enhance the garden's aesthetic appeal. Additionally, he directed the Tourism Department to coordinate with the Forests and Wildlife Department to explore the possibility of establishing a mini zoo within the garden premises to further boost footfall.

He was informed that under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme 2.0 of the Government of India, a grant of Rs 65.82 crore has been received for the rejuvenation and beautification of Yadavindra Garden.

Under the sceheme, various activities will be undertaken incuding development of parking, conservation and adaptive reuse of heritage structures, revival of existing water channel and fountain system, propsed roof top restaurant at budgerigar motel, conferanc hall, lighting and electrification of the campus and CCTV Surfeillance system.

Moreover, there is also a proposal for the restoration of Rani Mahal. A fresh tender will be floated for the amusement park, which is expected to significantly increase visitor numbers at Yadavindra Garden.

The Chief Minister directed that Tikkar Tal in Morni be developed as a major tourist destination, with facilities such as a ropeway and a swimming pool to be provided for visitors.

He also instructed that the road leading to Tikkar Tal be widened to avoid traffic congestion and ensure the smooth flow of vehicles. It was informed that Rs 26.6 crore has been received from the Government of India for the development of Tikkar Tal. Additional attractions such as a zip line and Swiss tents are also proposed to be introduced at the site to attract more tourists.

(editor@dailyworld.in)