Kurukshetra: Doors of three info centres remain shut to tourists

Nitish Sharma

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Kurukshetra, February 27

Resuming operations at three Tourist Information and Facilitation Centres — opened to help tourists who reach Kurukshetra from across the country — continues to be a challenging task for the Kurukshetra Development Board (KDB).

A challenging task

• The centres were started at three strategic locations at Pipli, near Gurdwara Chhati Patshahi.
• They aimed at providing tourists information about the tirthas situated in Kurukshetra.
• A budget of Rs 2 crore provided under the Krishna circuit was utilised in the project.
• Two out of the three TIFCs have been lying closed in Kurukshetra for over three years,with the only operational centre in Pipli getting shut last year.
• It was planned to run one TIFC through Common Services Centres set up by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, but nothing happened.

Failed attempts

Efforts were made to make the TIFCs operational but the board faced several challenges, including the lack of manpower. It was decided to engage private agencies for operation, management and maintenance of cloakroom, food refreshment counter, retiring room and pre-paid cab counters. — An official, Kurukshetra Development Board

The centres were started at three strategic locations at Pipli, near Gurdwara Chhati Patshahi and near Brahma Sarovar to provide tourists information about the tirthas situated in Kurukshetra. A budget of Rs 2 crore provided under the Krishna circuit was utilised in the project.

While two out of the three TIFCs have been lying closed in Kurukshetra for over three years, the one that was in operation at Pipli was also closed last year after the operator was found running the centre against norms.

As per the information, last year, it was planned to run one TIFC through Common Services Centres (CSCs) of CSC e-Governance Service India Limited, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), set up by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, but nothing happened.

An official in the Kurukshetra Development Board said, “Efforts were made to make the TIFCs operational but the board faced several challenges, including the lack of manpower. Later, it was decided to engage private agencies for the operation, management and maintenance of cloakroom, food refreshment counter, retiring room and pre- paid cab counters at the TIFCs. Multiple tenders were floated but only one situated at Pipli was made functional, however last year it was also closed as the operator was found running it as a restaurant instead of an information and facilitation centre, which was against the terms.”

Speaking to The Tribune, Secretary of the KDB, Upender Singhal said, “A proposal was received in which the CSC had shown interest in running a TIFC but there were some issues due to which the plan didn’t materialise then. A decision is to be taken whether fresh tenders will be floated to run the TIFCs or these will be handed over to any government agency for operations.”

“Since a large number of tourists reach Kurukshetra, the operations of the TIFCs are very important to facilitate them. Soon after the International Gita Mahotsav in Sri Lanka, we will take up the issue with the government and make efforts to make these operational. The board will also introduce its souvenir and Prasadam outlets at the TIFC,” he added.