Rahul Kumar in conversation with Geetika Kalha, principal secretary of tourism in Punjab, about the state’s plans to increase its tourist footfall.
Excerpts from an Interview –
Punjab’s very own version of Palace on Wheels, a luxury train aimed at foreign tourists and NRIs, had run into bad patch because of the crippling haulage charges which had nearly derailed the project. What is the present status?
We have already run one luxury train on Sikh Takht route last year, which was very successful, and highly appreciated as well . It was run by the luxury holidays, a private company with logisitic support from Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board “PHTPB” the only feedback was that it was little expensive. To overcome the issue of high expenses we have entered in to a Memorandum of Understanding with IRCTC and we are running train in the month of December and February in this financial year, which will be followed by four such trains in the next financial year. These are Semi luxury train on the lines of Buddhist circuit train. The same train we are going to run on the Sikh circuit.
* Do you think the project is viable considering the steep cost? Most of the Luxury trains are running into losses.
*The Punjab government has came up with the Master Plan for creating various circuits around Heritage, Freedom Trail, Farm and Ecotourism in the state. Could you throw some light on it?
Ans.
We have different circuits; at the moment they have pilgrim circuit and freedom train circuit. They are also starting badshahi sadak trail, they are already in existence, she mentioned that some of them are very well renovated and some are still in the process but pilgrim circuit and freedom are very well renovated and they have spend around 8 crores on their renovation.
We are trying to get luxury bus through private partnership to cover the sikh circuit along with tourism circuit.
On farm we have the policies of government and at the moment we have around 17 farmhouse running, listed with PHTPB; owned by the owners who act as both hosts and guides to the visiting tourist. In a very nostalgic way she said it’s a very different experience to be in punjabi farm house and it is for the private people to take the advantage of such policies of government. We have signing MoU with Mahindra and Mahindra to market and sell farmhouse under its brand.
“The MoU will allow the product to reach a wider market, eventually helping the farmhouse owners and bringing money to the villages.” And also we are trying to tie-up with makemytrip.com. Similar is for the ecotourism, there is a policy and anybody wants to start any eco tourism venture he/ she can follow the policy.
*The heritage city of Amritsar has been identified for development under the Mega Destination project. What would this development entail?
Ans.
She said Mega Destination is goin on there is already a heritage village coming up, the town hall is being developed and conserved, Govinder port is being developed and the rambagh garden is in process, she very polite mannes she explained that these are the heritage building and it takes time to renovate or develop them. They have to study it first and only then they can start renovation and repairing part.
* The state tourism department is also in the process of developing birth places of great freedom fighters of India. What exactly is the plan and how much amount is going to be spent on it.
Ans.
It is not only the birth places of great freedom fighters which they focusing to develop, according to her it could be anything related to freedom fighter. We are also planning to renovate the Anglosic memorial site, completed Lala Lajpat Rai’s house.
*India’s most popular tourist circuit consists of the Delhi-Agra-Jaipur Golden Triangle. Amritsar is so far quarantined from it. If Amritsar can be integrated into this circuit, it will become Delhi-Agra-Jaipur-Amritsar Golden Quadrangle, which will boost tourism. Is the government thinking on these lines ?
It depends on the travel agent to integrate. But their trains covers the destination, it will cover Amritsar, Agra, Jaipur and Delhi.
* Hospitality industry people feel that though Amritsar has a number of fairly decent two star and three star hotels, it lacks the four star and the high end five star hotels. If the government encourages the hospitality industries then it will be able to attract a lot of foreign tourists who come to visit the Golden temple. What is your opinion?
Things are not like this now, Hotel Owners and companies are also taking Amritsar in serious note. We are in the way to construct few four and high end five star hotels in the city of Amritsar, We are encouraging hospitality sector and that is why big names like Taj and Redisson is making their way to Amritsar, while ISTA already made its way in Amritsar.
