Designs of riverfronts to boost tourism in three Haryana districts ready

Nitish Sharma

Kurukshetra, April 4

Aiming to boost religious tourism, the Haryana Saraswati Heritage Development Board has got the designs of three riverfronts ready, which will be constructed on Saraswati River in Kurukshetra, Yamunanagar and Kaithal districts.

Promoting Saraswati Mahotsav

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International Saraswati Mahotsav is also observed in Pehowa of Kurukshetra and Yamunanagar. Efforts are being made to promote and celebrate Saraswati Mahotsav on the pattern of Gita Mahotsav. It will help in boosting religious tourism, Dhuman Singh Kirmach, vice-president of the board said.

Five of these to be developed

The board had decided to develop five riverfronts of which the designs of three riverfronts, including riverfronts in Pipli in Kurukshetra, Bilaspur in Yamunanagar and Polar in Kaithal have been finalised. The projects will take off soon. — Dhuman Singh Kirmach, Haryana Saraswati Heritage Development Board

The board had proposed to develop riverfronts to attract tourists and make people aware of the historic river and its significance. The riverfront at Pipli in Kurukshetra will be developed as Saraswati Vatika and a budget of Rs 1.80 crore is to be spent on the project in the first phase.

Dhuman Singh Kirmach, vice-president of the board, told The Tribune: “The board had decided to develop five riverfronts of which the designs of three riverfronts, including riverfronts in Pipli in Kurukshetra, Bilaspur in Yamunanagar and Polar in Kaithal have been finalised. The projects will take off soon. A team of assistant professors from Chandigarh College of Architecture had helped the board in preparing the designs.”

“Kurukshetra is being developed as a major tourist destination and lakhs of tourists reach Kurukshetra during the International Gita Mahotsav and other religious events. Similarly International Saraswati Mahotsav is also observed in Pehowa of Kurukshetra and Yamunanagar. We have been making efforts to promote and celebrate Saraswati Mahotsav on the pattern of Gita Mahotsav. It will help us in boosting religious tourism. A large number of Tirthas have become extinct over a period of time. The board is also identifying and developing the important Tirthas situated on the banks of Saraswati River in Haryana” he added.

The vice-chairman said, “Limited availability of land has been a challenge before the board but we have been making all efforts to bring in new experience for visitors. At Pipli, Saraswati Vatkia, there will be facilities of boating, walkway, cafeteria, and a park in the first phase, and then a temple of goddess Saraswati will also be constructed in the second phase. There is also a plan to construct a Saraswati Dwar on the National Highway in Kurukshetra near Pipli for which a proposal will be soon tabled in front of CM Manohar Lal Khattar.”