Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Tuesday said that the Atal Tunnel has opened new vistas of development in the state as it has ensured round the year connectivity.

“Atal Tunnel and tourism are gradually becoming synonymous as over 5000 tourist vehicles are daily crossing this tunnel towards Lahaul valley. Steps need to be taken to provide best infrastructure to the tourists so that they could stay in the valley comfortably,” the Chief Minister said while virtually addressing the concluding function of Snow Festival of Lahaul-Spiti district from Shimla.

He said that this 75-day long festival would go a long way in promoting the rich diverse culture and traditions of this tribal district of the state and also act as a catalyst for promoting tourism activities in the district. This festival has helped reviving the traditions almost at verge of extinction, besides showcasing the diverse culture to the rest of the world, he added.

The Chief Minister said that efforts must be made to diversify the Snow Festival so that it has something special and new to showcase before the rest of the world.

He said that the State Government would soon submit a concrete proposal before the Union Minister of Tourism for effective marketing of the Lahaul Spiti district as a tourist destination and steps would also be taken to ensure GI tagging of this event.

Talking about the Atal Tunnel, Thakur said that before the tunnel was dedicated to the nation, there were only about 71 home stay and today, there are over 450 home stays catering to the needs of the tourists.

Thakur further said that steps would also be taken to promote cultivation of Sea buckthorn in the valley. This would not only give boost to the economy of the farmers, but also promote economic activities in the area, he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Tribal Development, Technical Education and Information Technology Minister Dr Ram Lal Markanda said that the people running Home Stays would be provided effective training so that they could provide better services to the tourists.