The Union government has given a green signal to develop Sonebhadra as a tourist destination by improving the connectivity of this region with other parts of the state and showcasing its natural beauty, including the fossil park.
The Centre’s green signal came in a meeting attended by Union Minister of State (Urban Development) Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister and local Member of Parliament Anupriya Patel, Uttar Pradesh Tourism Minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi, Additional Chief Secretary Awanish Awasthi and District Magistrate of Sonebhadra, Amit Kumar Singh.
“Sonebhadra has immense potential of being developed as a tourist destination. It is home to the oldest fossil park where even the leaves have turned into fossils. There are caves which are of immense historical importance and whose history needs to be told to the people,” UP’s Tourism Minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi said.
Besides, the region is bestowed with natural beauty like waterfalls. If we can showcase this area as a tourist spot, people will come. The region is just 90 km from Varanasi. People who come to Varanasi for darshan at Kashi Vishwanath temple can come to Sonebhadra, Joshi said.
UP’s Civil Aviation Minister Nand Gopal Gupta ‘Nandi’ said the region would soon have its own airport. He said tenders had been floated and the work would start soon.
Nandi said that he had spoken to Union Civil Aviation Minister and had sought permission to have a helipad near airport so that private helicopter service could be started there.
Union Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel said that this region had potential to be developed for heritage tourism.
“We are working in this direction. I am a local MP. I have done a lot for this region. If this area is promoted as a tourist destination, it will generate employment for the local people,” she said.
The meeting continued for almost one and half hour. Hardeep Puri, who is a Rajya Sabha member from UP, asked the state government to submit its report so that work could start immediately.