Himachal government mulls over resuming tourism industry

Dipender Manta 
Tribune News Service
Mandi, July 2

The state government is mulling over to resume the tourism industry which has been on the edge since March 22 till date.  

In conversation with the media on Thursday, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said the state government is mulling over to open the state barriers for tourism purposes. 

He said the officials of the tourism department have been asked to prepare SOPs for the same purpose—so, the state borders can be reopened.   

In response to a query, the Chief Minister said due to technical glitches, the proposed Darang Salt Mine project has been delayed, and the state government will make an effort to resume it soon.  

The Chief Minister revealed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the— strategically important—Atal tunnel on Manali-Leh Highway by the first week of September this year. 

The CM was presiding over a review meeting with Mandi's district administration.

He directed the officers to ensure time-bound completion of developmental projects, to avoid cost escalation, and to provide benefits to people in time.  

He said the work on developmental projects, worth Rs. 4,000 crore, were being executed in Mandi. These included civil workers in the Public Works Department (PWD), Jal Shakti, Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) is a (state government undertaking) electricity board operating, Tourism, and other departments.

He revealed the developmental projects of Mandi town are worth Rs. 200 crore. These included ADB assisted Rs. 41 crore beautification projects, Rs. 83 crore Drinking Water Augmentation Project, Rs. 69 crore Sewerage Scheme, Rs. 50 crore for roads, buildings and bridges and Rs. 25 crore Victoria Bridge which had been inaugurated.

The CM said that as many as 137 PWD projects have been sanctioned for the district with a project cost of Rs 1,202 crore, which includes 77 projects worth Rs 3,44 crore under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). 

He said that as many as 54 drinking water, irrigation, sewerage and flood protection projects were also under execution by the Jal Shakti Department with a total investment of Rs 1,535 crore.

He said that the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected the pace of development, thus more effort must be made to complete the projects within the time period.

The CM said that the monsoon season was round the corner and directed the officers to make adequate preventive arrangement to minimise losses due to rains. 

Later, the Chief Minister laid foundation stones and inaugurated developmental projects worth Rs. 5.61 crore on the occasion, which include the inauguration of District Panchayat Resource Centre under National Gram Swarozgar Abhiyan to be constructed for Rs 2.40 crore, laying of foundation stones of bye-pass from Treasury Office to Sakodi Bridge to be completed by spending Rs. 2.71 crore and Trekkers Hut to be constructed for Rs. 50 lakh under Nei Rahen Nei ManzilenYojna. 

Earlier, while interacting with the party functionaries, Chief Minister said that the Corona pandemic was not yet over and one must remain cautious to check the spread of the virus. 

Chief Minister was also presented a cheque of Rs. 1.50 lakh by Chairperson Nagar Parishad Mandi Suman Thakur towards H.P. SDMA COVID-19 State Disaster Response Fund on the occasion.

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