Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday said that Dharamshala to Mcleodganj ropeway would be completed by June 2021 and is being constructed by spending an amount of Rs 150 crore.
The Chief Minister was presiding over the 10th Meeting of Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Board here.
He said that the executing agency must give top priority to those tourism projects which were nearing completion so that they could be completed within stipulated time period.
Thakur said that the state would get an annual fee of Rs one crore from the ropeway project once it starts functioning.He also expressed displeasure over the delay in Adi Himani to Chamunda ropeway in Kangra district and Bhuntar to Bijli Mahadev ropeway which is coming up in Kullu district for which concession agreement was signed and survey completed.
The concession agreement and pre feasibility report have been finalized regarding Sri Anandpur Sahib to Shri Naina Devi ropeway. This project would be completed by spending an amount of Rs 200 crore, he added.
Thakur said that Light and Sound Show would be completed by March, 2021 and would provide a glimpse of culture, tradition, lesser known places of the State at Town Hall, The Mall, Shimla. This would be an added attraction for the tourists visiting the state.
Shimla Heliport is also coming up at Shimla with a cost of Rs 12.13 crore and would be completed by March next, he added. The Chief Minister said that work on the Convention Centre at Kiarighat in Solan district under the Himalayan Circuit of Swadesh Darshan Scheme is also nearing completion. This project worth Rs 30 crore would be completed by March next year.
The work had also been started on development of Maa Hateshwari Temple at Hatkoti in Shimla district which would be completed by December next year, he said.
Thakur also said that the Union Government has approved upgradation of Food Craft institute, Dharamshala to Institute of Hotel Management worth Rs 11.75 crore. Out of this, the first installment of Rs 4.10 crore has been received. The detailed project report of Rs 100 crore under integrated Development of Spiritual Circuit under Swadesh Darshan Scheme has been sent to the Government of India for approval, he said.
The State Government had also decided to organize a Craft Mela in the state on the pattern of Surajkund Craft Fair for which about 95 bighas of land had been identified on Kalka Shimla National Highway, he added.
He directed the officers to ensure speedy clearance of various approvals so that work could be started there.Secretary Tourism, Devesh Kumar assured the Chief Minister that all the tourism projects being implemented in the state would be completed within the stipulated time period.