The Craignano hills, a little beyond Mashobra on the outskirts of Shimla town, would soon flourish with tulip gardens and be developed as a major camping site.
Craignano, a place named after a town in Italy, would be developed as a major tourist attraction as the Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Monday laid the foundation stone of a Rs 1.83 cr ‘Nature Park’ amidst the Deodar and Oak forests in Craignano.
Around ten hectares of land would be utilised by the Forest Department for setting up Nature Park along-with basic amenities for tourists which include an amphitheatre, a cafeteria, tented accommodation for visitors, children park, water bodies, strolling trails etc. The Department also proposes to erect a statue of lord Buddha amidst the park.
The Chief Minister who also visited the old Craignano rest house directed for its renovation. Virbhadra Singh said that besides tulip flowers, a rose garden and other native and exotic species should also be planted and taken care of.
He stressed upon planting broader sapling and said that the area, which was quite rich in flora and fauna, would certainly attract visitors and locals.
A similar Nature Park would also come up at Kanlog on which a sum of Rs 4 crore was being spent.
The Nature Park, besides cafeteria would also have parking facilities and walking trails.
The Chief Minister also laid foundation stone of additional building of Block Development Office at Mashobra. Earlier in the morning, the Chief Minister flagged off the fire tenders from CTO, Shimla to be deployed in far-flung belts of the State.
He also inspected the old Bantony castle building and said that it would be developed from tourism point of view. The building will house a library, a museum besides other basic amenities. The lawn attached with the building would also be developed into a park. While talking to the mediapersons on sidelines of the function at CTO, the Chief Minister said that a strong based political party always declares its Chief Minister candidate before elections, adding that the political parties which have doubt on their cadre strength and standing never dare to do so.