Following the success of the Ekamra heritage walks, the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) has now planned to conduct as many as eight heritage walks and cycle tours in different heritage circuits in and around the city.
The BDA has already floated an Request for Proposal (RFP) for selection of an agency to conceptualise and implement the eight thematic heritage walks and cycle tours under the banner ‘Ekamra Walks’. The walks and tours have been planned to increase awareness and maximise the tourism potential of the city.
All the heritage walks would be theme-based and they would promote rich architectural treasures, culture, traditions, rituals, customs and natural resources of the city.
Two of the heritage walks and tours will cover the Old Town area, lingaraj Heritage Circuit and Rajarani Heritage Circuit. The third walk would cover the Jain Heritage Circuit near Udayagiri-Khandagiri and the fourth to cover the Buddhist Heritage Circuit near Dhauli Peace Pagoda. Two more walks and tours would focus on the natural heritage of Bhubaneswar and would include separate curated walks and tours through the Chandaka Nature trail and Botanical garden trail along with one Museum Walk at Kalabhoomi , Odisha Craft Museum and one more walk/tour which will be decided later.
The two proposed cycle tours include Buddhist Circuit near Dhauligiri and another connecting Raja Rani temple, 64 Yogini Temple and Sishupalgarh remnants.
The selected agency would also provide support and expertise in organising similar tourism related activities, workshops, symposiums, tourism promotion camps, managed tours and tourism related events, camps as required by OTDC or other Government agencies and departments.