Tenders floated, ~160 cr convention centre to come up in Dharamsala

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, August 18

The Tourism Department has floated tenders for the construction of international level convention centre at Zorawar Singh Stadium in Dharamsala.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) would also fund Rs 160 crore project.

Sources said the convention centre would be constructed on 2.2 hectares at Zorawar Singh Stadium and the built up area would be around 40,836 square metres. The work would commence after the tenders get finalised, the sources said.

To be built on 2.2 hectares

• Will come up on 2.2 hectares at Zorawar Singh Stadium
• Built up area of the project will be 40,835 sq m
• Once the centre comes up, the government could offer it to corporates and other private bodies to hold their conventions, said RS Bali, chairman, Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporationi.
• This would increase tourism and also help the hotel industry.
• The government had also started the expansion process of the Kangra domestic airport.

Vinay Dhiman, District Tourism Officer, Dharamsala, said tenders related to the construction of international level convention centre in Dharamsala had been issued.

The project, conceived in 2015, was supposed to come up at Khaniyara in Dharamsala. However, the land could not be provided for the project. Initially, the locals opposed the move and said Zorawar Singh Stadium was the only ground available for general public and several football tournaments were held here. Later, the administration somehow managed to persuade the residents.

RS Bali, Chairman, Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation, said the convention centre would give a boost to tourism in Dharamsala, which had best air connectivity.

Once the centre comes up, the government could offer it to corporates and other private bodies to hold their conventions, said Bali, adding that it would increase tourism and also help the hotel industry.

He said the state government had also started the expansion process of the Kangra domestic airport.