The Union Government has allocated a sum of Rs 5.92 crore to the State tourism department for the project. The Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board, on its part, had convened a meeting with Haridwar district officials and Tourism Minister Madan Kaushik in Haridwar on Thursday and conducted an on-site visit.

A beautiful Himalayan crafts centre and food court would be constructed opposite to the famous Har-ki-Pauri in Haridwar. The Union Government has also sanctioned a sum of 5.41 crore for the construction of modern toilets and changing rooms in the 2.5 km vicinity of Har-ki-Pauri.

At the entrance of Har-ki-Pauri, the board will build a main gate at a cost of Rs 58.34  lakh. The giant gate was earlier supposed to be built on the national highway but the National Highway Authority of India has rejected the proposal outright. To cope with traffic and beautify the surroundings, the Union Government has agreed to donate Rs four crore for the construction of six parking lots including Dhobi Ghat and Chandi Ghat.

As many pilgrims are unable to listen to the ganga aarti, the tourism board plans to install high-quality speakers so that anyone in the 2.5 km stretch can hear the ritual take place and there is no rush to occupy a spot near the actual proceedings.

The objective of the Himalayan Haat is to promote the Uttarakhand handicrafts industry and State cuisine. Spread over 5-6 acres just outside the security tower, the project will also give a chance to from different corners of India to showcase their products.

News Source: The Pioneer

As part of tourism activity, a national rafting championship will be organized for the first time in Tons river at Mori block in the district, where only three-four rafting companies operate, said tourism officials. The championship will be held in the last week of May.

“We have chosen Tons river as the new destination for whitewater rafting as the adventure sports had been restricted to only between Devprayag and Muni Ki Reti,” said A K Dwivedi Joint Director Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board.

Known for its whitewater rafting, Shivpuri, an idyllic beach, near the holy city of Rishikesh is considered to be the Mecca of adventure sport in the state. The rafting business, which has now grown to Rs 25-35 crores, is providing employment and business opportunities to hundreds of people. Over 100 rafting companies operate along the 70 km long stretch between Devprayag, Shivpuri, Kaudiyala and Muni Ki Reti.

And now, the government wants to take this adventure sport to other areas of the hill district. “We have identified nearly 12 rivers in the state where rafting can be organized,” said Dwivedi.

The Ganga between Devprayag and Muni Ki Reti is considered to be an ideal location for adventure sport activity. Thousands of tourists, from home and abroad, gather here except during the monsoon season.

Deepak Bhatt, convener of the rafting companies’ association, has urged the government to issue a new policy for promoting adventure tourism in close association with local companies. Tour operators also claim that they are expanding the adventure sport business elsewhere in the state.

These companies are now targeting corporate houses also. Significantly, 90 per cent of the business comes from India only. Only 10 per cent of the tourists come from abroad. “The government must help us in bringing more foreign tourists rafting,” said Bhatt. But operators are confident that the adventure sport business will grow further in the near future.

News Source: Business Standard

A total of 10 new destinations would be developed in the country, said Union Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahay on the fringes of a conference of tourism ministers of eight north-central states in this former princely estate.

“Uttarakhand is the first tourist destination which we have selected. We are working to finalise other nine destinations also,” he said.

Tourism officials said the centre would provide nearly Rs 200-250 crore for the development of each tourist destination.

“We are trying hard to compete with the global tourism market. New niche products like caravan tourism, wellness tourism, spiritual tourism, religious tourism are being developed so as to boost tourism,” he said.

All the states have been told to boost the infrastructure and connectivity, he said.

Sahay said the centre is embarking upon the policy of developing integrated perspective investment plans for key circuits/destinations in each of the states and union territories.

These investment plans will identify components requiring investments through public-private partnership (PPP) models. IL&FS has been chosen as the infrastructure partner to explore new destinations and bring new investments in the PPP mode from home and abroad.

Sahay said the centre is also holding consultations with all the states in order to develop a comprehensive new tourism policy. In the next five year plan beginning next year, the thrust will be on complete recasting of tourism industry of the country. “We will prepare a blue print of every state in order to prepare the action plan for the tourism,” he said.

News Source: Business Standard

Higher reaches of Himalayas today received fresh snowfall in Uttarakhand while most of the lower areas experienced rainfall bringing cold conditions in the hill state. Both the regions of Garhwal and Kumaon like Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Hemkund sahib and Chakrata received snowfall while most of the lower areas, including the state capital experienced drizzle. For the past two days, snowfall in higher reaches coupled with rainfall in lower and plain areas have plummeted the mercury forcing people to take out their woollens. Met office here said the current weather conditions are likely to continue for a day or two.

News Source: IBN Live

The government currently levies 5 per cent luxury tax on room rents from all hotels in the state.

The exemption will be available from the date of commencement of the business or other conditions specified in the new notification issued by Principal Secretary Finance Alok Kumar Jain.

“In places like Mussoorie and Nainital, there are several buildings which belong to the colonial era. In case, the owners intend to convert them into hotels, we are providing them a good opportunity,” said a government official.

The notification also said the government would exempt the luxury tax for five years on new tourism units also.

The exemption will also be available for the expansion of hotels and tourism units with a minimum of 25 per cent investment of the current market value, the notification said.

In the annual budget presented in the state assembly last month, Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank had announced exemption of luxury tax on non-air conditioned rooms of small hotels and dhabas.

However, at a time when the government has announced new sops for the hotel industry, plans are also afoot to levy 10 per cent tax on all hotels where the room rent is more than Rs 3,500 per day.

“Keeping in view our endeavour to increase the state’s revenue through various taxes, we are now planning to impose fresh luxury tax on all hotels which charge room rent of more than Rs 3,500 per day,” said the official.

News Source: Business Standard

Anand Vihar Kathgodam AC Express

Northern Railway has introduced a new Train between Kathgodam and New Delhi from Tuesday, 25 Jan 2011. This AC Express train will depart from Anand Vihar Terminal (New Delhi) thrice a week on every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

Named as Anand Vihar Kathgodam AC Express (Train No. 14012), the train has 339 seats for AC3, 63 seats for AC 2 and 14 seats for AC 1 category.

Anand Vihar Kathgodam AC Express will depart from Anand Vihar Terminal (New Delhi) at 6.00 AM and arrive at Kathgodam at 11.55AM. Nainital is only 30 kms from Kathgodam.

On the other hand, Anand Vihar Kathgodam AC Express (Train No. 14011) will depart from Kathgodam at 3.45 PM to arrive Delhi at 9.55 PM.

The Fares for Anand Vihar Kathgodam AC Express is as below:

AC 3 : Rs 376.00
AC 2 : Rs. 492.00
AC 1 :  Rs 796.00

The other two trains to which connect New Delhi to Kathgodam are Uttar Sampark Kranti Express (departure 3.45 PM) and Ranikhet Express (departure 8.40 PM)

By Deepti Rawat, eUttaranchal News Service

The first ever SAF Winter Games were inaugurated today (10 Jan 2011) at Dehradun’s Maharana Pratap Sports Complex by Union Sports Minister Mr. MS Gill. The opening ceremony was followed by several folk dance performances and eventful power packed performance by Sufi singer Kailash Kher.

The ice skating and ice hockey events began today and will continue till 12th Jan 2011. The skiing events will be held in Auli from 13-16 Jan 2011.

As many as 300 participants from India and the six South Asian countries including Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are participating in the games. The major events would include speed skating, figure skating, ice skating and many more. The majority of the events would be held in Dehradun, while events requiring ski slopes would be held in Auli.

Brig Patwal said that all the preparations for conducting ice skating events at Maharana Pratap Sports Stadium in Dehradun have been completed. The participating teams from the South Asian countries including Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Maldives and Sri Lanka have already arrived in Dehradun. The ice skating games include short track speed skating for men and women and figure skating for men and women, ice hockey men demo will be played during the first South Asian Winter Games in Dehradun.

The SAF Winter Games will be inaugurated by Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports MS Gill. Renowned India Sufi singer Kailash Kher will perform along with Bharatnatyam exponent Ami Parekh on the ice skating rink during the inaugural day of the event (10 Jan 2011). The other cultural highlights of the opening ceremony will be folk dances of host State Uttarakhand, Himachal, Assam and Ladakh.

While talking to The Pioneer South Asian Federation of Winter Games Media head PC Thapliyal informed that two foreign teams including Sir Lanka (6 players) and Bangladesh (4 players) reached Dehradun on Sunday. The players were very excited about participating in the SAF Winter Games. With their arrival now four foreign teams including Sir Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Maldives will participate in ice skating events in Dehradun. Two Indian ice hockey teams will play for ice hockey demo in the first day of the event.

News Source: The Pioneer

After the Commonwealth Games, India will now host the first South Asian Winter Games in Auli, Uttarakhand beginning from January 7, 2011.

The Centre is spending Rs 110 crore for building infrastructure facilities and organising the event.

The games will be held in two phases with skiing event being organised at the hill resort of Auli, known for its natural slopes in the Garhwal region, between January 7 and January 10. The second phase of the ice skating event will be held in Dehra Dun between January 14 and January 17. “With the purpose of boosting winter sports games as well as tourism, we are organising the South Asian Winter Games in Uttarakhand,” said Brigadier (retired) S S Patwal, president, Winter Games Federation of India.

In the run-up to the two main events, there will be a host of other events which would include skiing coaching camp, skiing open championship, ice skating coaching camps and ice skating open championship.

Besides India, players from Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, Malpes, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will participate in these events. Patwal said the games will be held in a well organised manner. “We have been preparing for these events since the past four years. The government has taken care of the games’ infrastructure,” said Patwal. A new ice skating ring has been set up at Raiwala with a cost of Rs 50 crore-Rs 55 crore and a new artificial snow-making system at Auli has come up, said Additional Sports Secretary B S Manral. The games are being organised by the Indian Olympic Association and the Winter Games Federation of India.

Visit Auli to witness the first SAF Winter Games (7-14 Jan 2011)
Affordable Auli packages @Rs 2500 per day for a couple.
For details dial +91-8800 96 2926 or click here