Kullu administration spruces up infra for tourists

Abhinav Vashisht

Kullu, March 13

The district administration is fortifying infrastructure for tourists at various places for the upcoming season. Be it the provision of toilets, parking, nature parks, beautification of campuses, waste management or restoration of pedestrian paths, all facilities are being created at a rapid pace. The most important aspect of betterment in infrastructure is to protect the environment of fragile mountainous areas.

Kullu Deputy Commissioner Ashutosh Garg says that the services of Sulabh International have been hired for the installation of mobile toilets at tourist places. Sulabh will operate and maintain mobile toilets to be set up from the Green Tax Barrier to the Rohtang Pass.

He says that the Tourism and Civil Aviation Department has provided funds to the Tourism Development Council (TDC), Manali, under the “Nai Rahein, Nai Manzilein” scheme for the construction of pedestrian paths and entrances. The estimates for construction works have already been obtained from the Forest Department and the amount has been released to the officials concerned. The tender process for the works has also been completed and these will be completed by June 2022.

The TDC Chairman says that Rs 60 lakh has been released to the Forest Department for setting up a nature park at Gulaba. A rain shelter, food point and cafeteria, solar lights, benches and pedestrian paths will be constructed at Gulaba. The Forest Department has been asked to construct the nature park at the earliest. The department has been given exemption to arrange tickets, etc, for its maintenance.

Garg says that Rs 13.14 lakh has been released to the Public Works Department (PWD) for shifting the left bank Green Tax Barrier from Prini to Jagatsukh. Its tender process has been completed and the work will be finished within two months. He has asked officials to link the barrier with FASTag for the convenience of tourists. The right bank Green Tax Barrier at Rangri has already been linked with FASTag.

He says that the emphasis has been laid on the installation of CCTV cameras in tourist hotspots of Manali. “The TDC has released Rs 12 lakh to the Manali MC to instal CCTV cameras, which has now been asked to be transferred to the Police Department.”

Mobile toilets till Rohtang

• Services of Sulabh International hired for installation of mobile toilets at tourist places. Sulabh will operate and maintain these from the Green Tax Barrier to the Rohtang Pass.
• Rs 60 lakh released to Forest Department for nature park at Gulaba. A rain shelter, food point, solar lights, benches and pedestrian paths will also be constructed at Gulaba.
• 52 CCTV cameras have also been installed in Manali to ensure smooth flow of traffic from the Green Tax Barrier to Gulaba.