Uttarakhand CM kickstarts Rishikesh rafting hub, parking project to boost tourism

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], April 25 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday laid the foundation stone of the Iconic City Rishikesh Rafting Base Station under the first phase of the Rishikesh Ganga Corridor Project.
In the first phase of the project, it will be constructed from Shivpuri to Muni Ki Reti. Financial assistance of Rs 100 crore has been approved by the Government of India for this, the project has been targeted to be completed in 2 years.
The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone for the construction of a multi-storey car parking and office building in Rishikesh. The work of multi-storey car parking and office construction on the land of Municipal Corporation Rishikesh will be done by MDDA at a cost of about Rs 136 crore. About 10 thousand 441 sq. m. Multi-storey parking for 1038 vehicles and buildings for the offices of Municipal Corporation Rishikesh, Jal Sansthan Rishikesh and UPCL will be constructed on the land. Fire safety, modern CCTV, access control system, as well as rain water harvesting, solar lights, lifts, green areas and other works will be done in the parking and office construction.
Various works worth about 1 crore 51 lakhs under Municipal Corporation Rishikesh were also inaugurated by the Chief Minister. During the program, the Chief Minister also provided medical kits and traveller-friendly kits to the environmental friends. On this occasion, the Chief Minister also inaugurated the hydrogel waterless toilet.
The Chief Minister said that the construction of the rafting base station in Rishikesh will increase employment opportunities for the local people associated with the rafting sector. We have moved one step further towards establishing Rishikesh as a global hub of river rafting. Along with the rafting base station, comfortable stations for tourists and boardwalks will also be constructed on the riverbank. He said that, along with developing a system of real-time monitoring of rafting routes for the safety of tourists, CCTV cameras, SOS alarms, and emergency help stations will also be installed.
The Chief Minister said that after the construction of a multi-storey parking with a capacity of more than one thousand vehicles in Rishikesh, there will be a lot of relief from the problem of traffic and parking. The traffic jam situation in Rishikesh during the Chardham Yatra can be controlled to a great extent. The general public will get a lot of convenience due to the offices of different departments being built under one roof.
The Chief Minister said that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state is progressing rapidly in every field. Along with the expansion of road, rail and air connectivity, many works have been done towards strengthening the infrastructure.
The Chardham Road Project and Rishikesh - Karnaprayag Rail Line Project will prove to be a milestone in the development of the state. He said that efforts have been made to strengthen the infrastructure of the region at a cost of more than Rs 1600 crore in Rishikesh. Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, Yoganagari Rishikesh Railway Station is being equipped with world-class facilities. Steps have also been taken towards the construction of a ropeway from Rishikesh to Neelkanth Mahadev temple. Along with development projects worth Rs 557 crore for smooth water supply in the area, work is also being done on the construction of a sewer line at a cost of Rs 183 crore.
The Chief Minister said that if Rishikesh has world-class facilities for rafting, better ropeway facilities and shuttle services, then Rishikesh will attract more tourists in the coming time, which will also increase business and employment opportunities. He appealed to the people to come together and raft in the Ganga river with the tricolour once a year, which will give a wonderful view of patriotism. (ANI)