Decks cleared for Unity Mall construction in Kangra district

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, August 19

Decks have been cleared for the construction of Unity Mall in the Dagwar area of Kangra district. The state government has transferred 3 hectares for the project in the name of the Industries Department. The Union Government has also granted ~ 132 crore for the project and its construction work is likely to start soon.

Director, Industries, Rakesh Prajapati said that the Union Government had released the first instalment for the Unity Mall. The state government would soon issue tenders for its construction, he added.

Unity malls are part of the Central Government’s initiative to promote local products. These are expected to encourage the sale of local handloom products, GI products, and handicrafts from different states.

Prajapati said that permanent stalls of handloom and handicraft products from 36 states would be on display in the Unity Mall. After construction, slots would be allotted to different states to put up their handicraft and handloom products for display. Besides, permanent display stalls of handloom and handicraft products, food court and PVR theatres would be constructed in the mall.

He said that the Unity Mall was expected to become a tourist point in Kangra district. It is in line with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s vision of making Kangra a tourist capital of the state, the Director, Industries, added.

The Union Government had sanctioned the mall project for Kangra district during the stint of the previous BJP government in the state. However, the present Congress government was to transfer land for the project in the Dagwar area of the district.

The work on the project would start after the Industries Department finalised the tender. PM Narendra Modi is expected to lay the foundation stone of the project once the tender was finalised.

Central govt initiative

• Unity Malls are part of the Central Government’s initiative to promote local products
• These malls are expected to encourage the sale of local handloom products, GI products and handicrafts of different states. Handicraft and handloom products from 36 states will be on display in the Mall
• The model for these Malls has been inspired by the Ekta Mall built near the Statue of Unity in Gujarat