state government has decided to develop tourist arc of Agra- lucknow- Varanasi

With an aim to bring Uttar Pradesh into international tourist map the state government has decided to develop tourist arc of Agra- lucknow- Varanasi akin to Delhi-Agra-Jaipur by developing tourism infrastructure in this area.

This was decided by the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Promotion Council that met here on Thursday.After the meeting Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said that this proposed arc of Agra-lucknow-Varanasi will give a new direction to heritage tourism.During the meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has also been signed between FICCI and UP government to hold travel mart and other events to promote

tourism in the state.

The first travel mart would be held at New Delhi on November 15 while in next two months, similar travel mart would be organised in different parts of the state culminating the drive with a similar mart in lucknow on February 22.“Promotion of tourism would improve image of the state government besides generate job opportunities. It will attract tourists as well as investments,” CM said.

Eminent personalities, who participated in the tourism promotion council meeting, included eminent Bollywood producer-director Muzaffar Ali, TCS regional director Jayant Krishna, couple of social workers of lucknow and representatives of FICCI and other renowned travel organisations of the country and world.Talking to reporters Yadav said very soon three square km area around Taj Mahal in Agra would be beautified while in lucknow, the heritage buildings including Roomi Darwaza, Immambaras, Ghantaghar would have lighting facility.

“Tourism has become an industry now as it is generating jobs in a big way and hence all efforts would be made to promote it at all cost,” he said.

The tourist arc of Agra-lucknow- Varanasi would take up different projects including launching of domestic air service between the three cities.The state is also considering to reduce the aviation fuel VAT from 21 per cent to 4 per cent for domestic air services and chartered flights between these three cities.

A theme park and a Mogul museum would also come up in Agra besides a cycling track would be constructed near Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. The Agra- lucknow Expressway will also give a big boost to tourism.Yadav said though lucknow, the city of Nawabs, is known for heritage, culture and food, it should now also be identified as a green city. Besides beautification of all the heritage building, the light and sound programme at the Residency and repairing of Ghantaghar would be taken up in lucknow.

In Varanasi, the government will go for renovation of the ghats and other historial sites.The CM said along with these three cities, the government has also taken up projects to develop religious tourist places in Allahabad, Bundelkhand and Ayodhya- Faizabad.Admitting that other states are spending around Rs 300 crore annually to promote their state and tourism while UP is just spending around Rs 60 crore, CM said the government will enhance the publicity budget besides will go in a big way to promote tourism through social media.

Eminent Bollywood producer-director Muzaffar Ali, who attended the UP tourism promotion council meeting, said that lucknow has a vast tourist potential while Agra is already in the international map.“ I have done a lot work on the Awadh culture of lucknow through my films,” he said while adding that tourism in UP should be conceived through secular identity on the Ganga-Yamuni tehjeeb.

This tourism promotion council comprises around 37 members headed by CM which includes heads of the all the concerned departments.Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan said that the council’s main focus would be coordinate between different departments and to go for direct dialogue with the experts.

He said that Travel marts would be organised in the state to promote tourism in the state so that the travel companies can prepare package for the tourists in different places of the state like Agra, Varanasi, lucknow, Dudhwa and other spots.“Tourism would also generate revenue for the state besides will create a job opportunity in the service sector for the youths,” he said.

Several members of the tourism promotion council were also present at the press meeting.