New Delhi: With an aim to promote the tourism potential across India, the Centre has identified 287 tourist spots around national waterways in seven States.
Official documents in possession of ETV Bharat show that as many as 46 tourist spots have been identified in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar around National Waterways (NW) 1. Similarly, 32 tourist spots have been identified in Jharkhand and West Bengal around national waterways 1. As many as 51 tourist spots have been identified around national waterways 2 in Assam.
Similar tourist spots have been spotted in Kerala and Odisha as well. "The tourist spots have been identified to promote river tourism in the respective States," officials told ETV Bharat. Tourist places including hill stations, religious places, gardens and parks, boat rides, museums and art galleries, monuments, islands, and sanctuaries among others have been included in the river tourism projects of these seven states.
Khusro Bagh in Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh, Bihari Ji Temple in Buxar district of Bihar, Fossils Park Mandro in Sahibganj district of Jharkhand, Chika Masjid in Malda district of West Bengal, Barpetasatra Namghar in Barpeta district of Assam, Lions Park in Kozhikode district of Bihar and Kapilas in Dhenkanal district of Odisha are among the several other tourist spots identified by the central government.
The official said that the Ministry of Port Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) in coordination with the Ministry of Tourism (MoT) have initiated steps for the development and promotion of river tourism activities on rivers. "Government has also initiated steps for cruise terminals and jetties wherever feasible in coordination with the State governments and the necessary budgetary allocation is also made for the purpose," the official said.
According to the official, the feasibility for development and promotion of river tourism activities on rivers besides the Brahmaputra (NW2) and the Ganga (NW1) is found existing on other NWs (west coast canal), NW 8 (Alappuzha-Kottayam canal), NW9 (NW 8 (Alappuzha-Changanassery canal), and NW 59 (Kottayam Vaikom canal) in Kerala and NW 5 in Odisha.
The Inland Water Authority of India (IWAI) has engaged WAPCOS limited as consultants for the preparation of an action plan and detailed road map for the development of river cruise tourism in India. A study conducted by WAPCOS has identified 34 national waterways as having a potential for the development of river cruise tourism in India.
"In order to develop river cruise tourism on a wider scale, development of appropriate navigational channels with navigational aids dredging in some NWs, construction of berthing, boarding and alighting facilities at multiple points and development of an ecosystem for promoting heritage sites and tourist attractions will be implemented on all the identified NWs," the official said.
Also read: 'Soar like a bird': Astanmarg, paragliding destination tourists throng in Kashmir
