chapter – vi untapped tourist destinations in...
TRANSCRIPT
202
Chapter – VI
UNTAPPED TOURIST DESTINATIONS IN PUNJAB
The present chapter is an attempt to identify the
untapped tourist destinations in Punjab. As part of the study,
the domestic and foreign tourist respondents were requested
to mention any unexplored area in the questionnaire, which
they have come across during their visit to Punjab. From the
present research, it is found that there are as many as
sixteen untapped destinations, which are gradually fading out
physically as well as metaphorically for want of proper care,
maintenance and promotional activities.
6.1 CONCEPT OF UNTAPPED TOURIST DESTINATION
The term untapped means “if the availability of
something valuable is unused, it is not yet used or taken
advantage of”. In tourism, untapped tourist destination
means “a destination which is identifiable as a tourist
destination but not used to gain economic benefits due to
lack of development and promotional activities”. The state is
home for vast array of tourist attractions that are found in
the form of cultural, historical and archeological resources.
So if these resources are properly exploited, the tourism
sector can offer a lot to support the state economy.
Punjab is a congregation of myriad tourist attractions-
forts, pilgrim centres, monuments, archaeological sites,
palaces, wetlands, cultural festivals and many others.
Punjab is endowed with a wide range of historical, natural
and cultural tourist attractions, but the state has been
benefiting little from tourism sector. The state’s diversified
historical and cultural resources have not been well
203
promoted and changed into economic values in a way that
they can support nation’s development efforts.
Table 6.1
Untapped Tourist Destinations in Punjab
Sr. No. Destination District Category
1 Aam Khas Bagh Fatehgarh Sahib Historical
2 Rauza Sharif Fatehgarh Sahib Religious/Historical
3 Floating Restaurant Sirhind Leisure/Recreational
4 Sheesh Mahal Patiala Heritage/Archaeological
5 Bahadurgarh Fort Patiala Heritage/Archaeological
6 Museum of Rural Life of Punjab PAU, Ludhiana Cultural/Heritage
7 Qila Mubarak (fort) Bathinda Historical/Archaeological
8 Shahpur Kandi Fort Pathankot Historical/Archaeological
9 Moorish Mosque Kapurthala Historical/Spiritual
10 Panch Mandir Kapurthala Religious/Historical
11 Shalimar garden Kapurthala Heritage/Historical
12 Kanjli wetland Kapurthala Ecological
13 Takht-i-Akbari, Kalanaur Heritage/Historical
14 Harike Wetland Harike Pattan Ecological
15 Samadh of Shravan Amritsar Religious/Heritage
16 Ram Tirath Amritsar Religious/Historical
Source: Compiled from information provided by the tourist respondents
Table 6.1 exhibits the various destinations described by
the respondents as unexplored destinations. The table
mentions the district and the category of tourism to which a
destination belongs. All these destinations have been further
presented in the map to show their location in the state. (See
Fig.6.1)
204
Figure 6.1
Map showing Location of Untapped Tourist Destinations in Punjab
Aam Khas
Rauza
Floating Shish Mahal
Bahadurgarh Fort
Rural Museum
Qila Mubarak Fort
Shahpur Kandi Fort, Pathankot
Moorish Mosque
Panch Mandir
Shalimar Garden
Kanjali Wetland
Takhat-i-Akbari, Kalanaur
Harike Wetland,
Harike Pattan
Ram Tirth
Samadh of Shravan
,Religious Place/Temple
Mosque
Museum/Palace/Restaurant
Monument
Fort
Wetland
205
6.2 Untapped Tourist Destinations in Punjab
The literature on above mentioned destinations is presented
and reviewed in this chapter along with the importance of
destination.
Table 6.2
Source of Data regarding Literature and Picture of Untapped Tourist Destinations in Punjab
Sr. No. Name of Destination Source
1 Aam Khas Bagh fatehgarhsahib.nic.in
2 Rauza Sharif Widipedia.org
3 Floating Restaurant fatehgarhsahib.nic.in
4 Sheesh Mahal Patiala Tourist Map, 2012
5 Bahadurgarh Fort www.apnapatiala.com
6 Museum of Rural Life of Punjab Mecdonald, 2003
7 Qila Mubarak (fort) Mecdonald, 2003
8 Shahpur Kandi Fort Mecdonald, 2003
9 Moorish Mosque Kapurthala Tourist Map
10 Panch Mandir Mecdonald, 2003
11 Shalimar garden Mecdonald, 2003
12 Kanjli wetland Wikipedia.org
13 Takht-i-Akbari, Wikipedia.org
14 Harike Wetland Wikipedia.org
15 Samadh of Shravan Amritsar ACC
16 Ram Tirath Mecdonald, 2003
Table 6.2 depicts various sources used for collecting
the pictures and information regarding the literature of
untapped tourist destinations in Punjab.
206
1. Aam Khas Bagh
This is a magnificent monument located in Fatehgarh
Sahib. The total area of
the complex is 700ft x
485ft. The Mughals
known for their
architectural style built
this beautiful garden
surrounded by the
obligatory high wall and
cooled with water flowing in disciplined courses. Aam Khas
Bagh, which was built by Akbar and later, developed by
Jahangir and Shahjahan was built for the public and also
for exclusive use of the emperor ShahJahan. Both of them
used to stay here while going to and coming back from
Lahore. There were adequate numbers of places for the stay
of Mughal emperors and since it contained both a public or
aam area, and a private or khas section, therefore it is
known as the Aam Khas Bagh literally the Public-Private
Garden. In its heyday it had a double-storied royal pavilion,
baths, underground water-cooled chambers, and plenty of
accommodation for weary travelers. The royal part includes
a large water tank, a palace with beautiful walls and
elaborate fountains. Although this was also ransacked by
the enemies of the Mughals, but even the ruins are so
magnificent that it is well worth visiting Aam Khas Bagh.
Archaeological Survey of India used to maintain this old
monument which has a great archaeological value. The bagh
was maintained till a few years ago. The building is now in
worst condition and lack of maintenance and preservation
ruined this precious monument.
207
2. Rauza Sharif
This beautiful and spacious mausoleum is a national
historic monument, which is respected as a second Mecca
by Sunni Muslims. This mausoleum is located on the
Sirhind-Bassi Pathana road near the Fatehgarh Sahib
gurudwara. This place is situated at a distance of 50 km
from Patiala In the
premises of the
mausoleum, there are
tombs and cenotaphs apart
from a mosque. One such
grand cenotaph is of King
Shah Zaman of Afganistan.
The magnificent and
spacious Rauza is a mausoleum which commemorates the
burial place of Mujadid-alf-Saani Sheikh Ahmed Farooqi,
Kabuli, Sirhindi and who lived during the reigns of Akbar
and Jahangir from 1563 to 1624. The old mosque in the
vicinity is extant, so are several cenotaphs. The tomb of
the Shah Zaman, one of the Kings of Afghanistan
indicates that the Rauza was once considered a
propitious burial place of high and mighty. The Rauza
also contains scalloped arches, framed domes and
minarets and sun-striated corridors. Every year Muslims
pilgrims from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan,
Indonesia and other countries visit this place to
participate in the urs of Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi. The date
of celebration varies from year to year. This festival is
considered very important by the Sunni sect of Islam.
During Urs in the month of August, Muslims from all over
the world come here to pay homage.
208
3. Floating Restaurant Sirhind
Floating Restaurant
constructed over the
Sirhind Canal is an
important tourist spot
earlier run by Punjab
Tourism Development
Corporation. It is at a
distance of 5 km.
from Sirhind towards Ludhiana on the Sher Shah Suri
Marg.
The channel on which the floating restaurant is built
supplies water to the states of Haryana and Rajasthan.
This channel carries 8000 cusecs of water and the giant
vessels on which this restaurant rests are made in such a
way that they withstand this pressure. In the peak
season, the water reaches 10,000 cusecs but that raises
the water level by 6ft only and thus the structure does
not come under any undue pressure. It attracts a large
no of tourists, especially during summer. There is also
provision for night stay. It has eight suites. It is a unique
type of restaurant in the whole of the Punjab. It presents
a picturesque view to the v isitors because it is built in
the middle of the canal.
4. Sheesh Mahal
The Sheesh Mahal is the famous tourist place in
Patiala. Maharaja Narinder Singh (1845-1862) got it built
during his reign in a forest with terraces, gardens,
fountains and an artificial lake having two watching
towers in the north and the south. The lake is connected
to Banasar Ghar, and the presidential palace named as
209
Sheesh Mahal. In Banasar ghar there are all types of
stuffed animals. There is a suspension bridge, which is a
copy of the Lakhsman Jhula at Rishikesh. One part of the
three storied building is inset with pieces of reflecting
mirrors and a large number of wall paintings depicting
scenes from Bhagwat Puran and portraits of the Sikh
Gurus. The palace has galleries displaying antique
paintings, bronzes, sculptures and portraits of the
Maharajas of Patiala. The highlight is the gallery, which
displays the world's
largest collection of
medals, decoration
and orders of
various countries.
Maharaja
Narendra Singh
invited many
painters from Kangra and Rajasthan to paint the walls of
Sheesh Mahal. The museum has a rich collection of
miniature paintings of the middle of 19th century.
Besides miniature paintings, there are fine objects of
Tibetan art particularly the sculpture of different kinds of
metals, ivory carvings of Punjab, royal wooden carved
furniture, and a large number of Burmese and Kashmiri
carved objects. The collection contains medals from
Belgium, Denmark, Finland and host of other countries of
Africa and Asia. On the advice of the Europeans,
Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Maharaja Dalip Singh also
issued medals which are studded with precious stones.
Some of them display miniature paintings of the
Maharaja in profile in the centre.
210
Restoration of the interior of the Sheesh Mahal has
been recently completed. It was recommended by the
UNWTO that the opportunity be taken to rationalize its
use and improve the display of its collections. The
display faci lities of the medal collection are totally
inadequate as well as being insecure. This results in
very limited access and appreciation of this world class
collection. The collection is so significant that it can, i f
suitably displayed, act as an independent attraction.
Every Year many cultural programmes and heritage
festivals are organized in Sheesh Mahal.
5. Bahadurgarh Fort, Patiala
This fort is 6 Km from
Patiala town on Patiala
Chandigarh road. It was
originally built by Nawab
saif khan in 1658 A.D. and
rebuilt in 1837 A.D. by
Maharaja Karam singh.
The construction of the
entire fort was completed in eight years. A sum of ten
lakh rupees was spent on its construction. The fort is
enclosed within two rounded walls and a moat. The
circumfrane of the fort is slightly over two kilometers.
The fort was given the name of Bahadurgarh by Maharaja
Karam Singh as a tribute to the Sikh Guru Teg Bahadur,
who stayed here for three months and nine days before
leaving for Delhi. The Guru’s visit to this place is also
commemorated by the construction of two Gurudwaras,
one within the fort itself and the other one out to the
north of the fort. The Gurudwara Sahib inside the fort
211
named as ‘Gurdwara Sahib Patshai Nauvin’ is a historical
building. This gurdwara shows fine Sikh architecturs.
This gurdwara is controlled by the Shiromini Gurdwara
Prabhandak Committee. People visit this gurdwara on the
festival of Baisakhi on 13 April, every year.
6. Museum of Rural Life of Punjab, Ludhiana
The museum is the
only one of its kind in
India and reminds
the charms of ancient
Punjab. The museum
is situated near the
College of Home
Science of Punjab
Agricultural University. The museum building is built
after a thorough study of tradit ional building in the old
town of Punjab. The double storied building covered an
area of 4000 sq. ft. The main entrance depicts the
archaeological finds of Punjab. These include pottery of
various periods like Harapan, Aryan, Gupta and
Mediaeval antiquities in terracotta, specimens of old
coins and seals. The original false ceiling of 18 t h century
adds to its beauty.
The museum has on display the utensils and
kitchenware like lota, garwa, ganga sagar, degchi, patila
etc right from the Harappan period onwards. The entire
wall space of the varandha is embellished with murals of
folk sensibilities. A dummy well where various devices
used through the ages for lif ting water for drinking as well
as for irrigation are on display.
212
7. Fort (Quila Mubarak), Bathinda
It is the oldest and highest small brick monument in
the heart of the city of
Bathinda. History of this
monument is quite
amazing. Raja Binepal, a
Bhatti Rajput got it built
about 1800 years ago. The
bricks of the fort date
back to the Kushana
period when emperor
Kanishka ruled over northern India. The first women
emperor Razia Sultana was imprisoned here in 1239 AD
by the then Governor Altunia. She jumped from the
Summan Burj and later on died at Sirsa fighting with
royal forces.
The Tenth Sikh Guru Shri Guru Gobind Singh came to
this fort in June, 1705 AD and threw out a Monster Kana
Deo and blessed the area with prosperity. Maharaja Ala
Singh of Patiala State captured this Fort in 1754 and
named the Fort Gobindgarh. Earlier it was called
Bakramgarh. A Gurdwara was constructed by Maharaja
Karam Singh of Patiala on the top of the fort in 1835 AD.
The Quila Mubarak complex is built in 10 acre ground in
the heart of the city. The whole complex contains Ran
Baas, Darbar Hall and Quila Androon. Quila Androon has
13 royal chambers with scenes from Hindu mythology
painted in the Patiala art style. There is a museum of
armoury and chandliers containing rare cannons, swords,
shie lds and maces, daggers of Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji
and sword of Nadir Shah. Being 300 years old building,
213
the quila is in a bad condition and has been damaged a
lot. It has been listed in list of “world’s 100 most
endangered monuments” in the year 2004. The
restoration work of quila was undertaken by Indian
National Trust for Arts and cultural Heritage (INTACH)
and Archeological Survey of India (ASI) with the help of
central and state government. World Monuments Watch
has also funded for the preservation of this monument.
8. Shahpur Kandi Fort, Pathankot
Shahpurkandi Fort is one of the wonderful forts of
Punjab, situated in Shahpur v illage, at a distance of 17.5
km from the centre of
Pathankot city. It
serves as a travel hub
for three northern
states i.e . Punjab,
Himachal Pradesh and
Jammu & Kashmir due
to its ideal location.
Pathankot is the fifth largest city in the state of Punjab
in terms of population. It is the last city in Punjab On
the national highway that connects Jammu & Kashmir
with India. The fort was built in 1505 AD by a Rajput
chief Jaspal Singh Pathania. It is located on the bank of
river Ravi and foothills of the towering Himalayas. It was
rebuilt by Bhai Bhao Singh who named the fort after the
emperor Shah Jahan. Near the fort, there are some
Muslim tombs and a mosque . Now, the fort has been
converted into the rest house of irrigation department. It
is famous for its temples and the view it commands over
the river Ravi. At present the fort is in ruins .
214
9. Moorish Mosque, Kapurthala
This is one of the most historic as well as unique
building situated in Kapurthala about 21 km from
Jalandhar. This is one
of the most historic as
well as unique buildings
situated in Kapurthala.
The mosque was built in
1930 by his highness
Maharaja Jagatjit Singh
Bahadur. It was
designed by famous French architect M. Manteaux, is an
inimitable piece of art of the Moorish style of
architecture. This is patterned after the Qutbya Mosque
in Morocco. Its construction was started on October 1926
and was completed on March 1930. As per the available
literature the total building cost of Mosque was Rs.
4,00,000. It was inaugurated by Nawab Sadiq Mohd.
Khan Bahadur on 14 t h March 1930. It has a large
compound paved with pure Indian marble. The decorators
from Lahore School of Art had designed the interiors of
the historic Mosque. The inner domes of the mosque have
designs by the artists of the Mayo School of Arts, Lahore.
The wall paintings in its chamber hold a very special
place in wall decoration in India. The paintings are
powerfully decorated and ornamental. A variety of
arbitrary geometric, floral and other types of designs
such as the swirling, interlaced arabesque predominate.
There is a Red Cross Rose Garden, inaugurated by Giyani
Zail Singh (former president of India).
215
A team of art conservators from INTACH, Delhi visited
the Moorish Mosque, in November 2006 to assess and
report the condit ion of wall paintings inside the main
prayer hall of the mosque.
10. Panch Mandir, Kapurthala The most striking
building in the town is a fine Hindu temple called the
'Panch Mandir' was built during the reign of, Sardar Fateh
Singh. This architecturally beautiful temple is located 21
km from Jalandhar in
Kapurthala town. The
Panch Mandir complex
(1831) opposite the
Ghanta Ghar, is an
imposing structure
consisting of a central
dome and four smaller
corner temples. The complex faces a street on its southeast
side and alleys on its three other sides. The alley on its
northwest side connects to the mall road that leads to the
Shalimar Gardens. Several smaller temples dedicated to
different deities surround the principal dome in center.
Another amazing stuff is that from the main silver door of
temple one can pay obeisance to every idol and these idols
are equally attractive from outside the door as they are from
inside. Even historic idol of God "Brahmajee" is placed in
this temple. A replica of this only temple of its kind was
exhibited in the pre-partition Punjab Museum at Lahore.
11. The Shalimar Garden, Kapurthala
The Kapurthala city has a beautiful garden called
Shalimar Garden. One historical building -"Baradari" is
also present in the Shalimar Garden where Maharaja
216
Ranjit Singh and Maharaja Fateh Singh had met. In this
historic garden, there
are "Samadhis" of former
rulers of Kapurthala
state with excellent art
work on them. These
shahi samadhis in the
garden emphasize the
traditions of its ruling
dynasty. There beautiful gate, park and a small pond at
the entrance enhance the beauty of Shalimar Gardens. It
also has a library. The Basant Panchmi Mela is organised
every year in this historic garden.
12. Kanjli Wetland
Kanjli is a wetland of national importance. This manmade
lake is situated on the outskirts of Kapurthala, on the
banks of river
Bein. It is located
on the Kali Bein at
21o 32’ N latitude
and 75o 76’ E
longitude. It was
created in 1870 by
constructing the
head works across the perennial Bein River, a tributary
of the Beas River to provide irrigation facil ities to the
hinterland. The rich biodiversity of the wetland
comprised aquatic and terrestrial flora and fauna
including some important species of plants and animals.
It was recognized internationally by the Ramsar
Convention in 2002 by designating the Kanjli Lake in the
217
list of wetlands of international importance. It has
immense ecological significance and supports a large
variety of aquatic flora and fauna. It is a home to
migratory birds in winter, surrounded by natural
scenery. It is a place worth visiting.
13. Takht-i-Akbari, Kalanaur
The small town of Kalanaur is situated about 70 km
north-east of Amritsar, has the pride of place for having
witnessed the coronation of Akbar on February 14, 1556
as emperor of India by
his guardian Bairam
Khan after the news of
Humayun's death. Akbar,
at that time, was
camping at Kalanaur in
order to direct the
campaign against
Sikandar Shah Sur, the
Afghan pretender to the throne who had taken refuse at
Mankot in Jammu region. The Takht-i-Akbari is a simple
square platform of brick, coated with plaster. A tank in
the centre of platform added to its beauty. The water of
this tank overflows down the scalloped chutes of red-
painted plaster into four miniature reservoirs at the
bottom of the platform. Little flight of steps on e ither side
of the chutes leads on the platform from every side except
the west. On this side of the throne, a plain brick
structure with single front step extending its full length
is v isible.
218
14. Harike Wildlife Sanctuary
Harike wetland is a shallow water storage reservoir. It
came into being as a result of construction of barrage in
1952 at the confluence of
rivers Beas and Sutluj
near Harike township
with the very objective of
storing and providing
irrigation and drinking
water to the parts of
Southern Punjab and the
adjoining state of Rajasthan. Prior to the construction of
barrage, the area presently occupied by lake was a
marshy pond with lot of aquatic vegetation and wildlife.
Harike Lake, 30 o 31’ N, 75o 12’ E forms a part of larger
wetland system in the districts of Amritsar, Ferozpur and
Kapurthala. The larger wetland area stretches from
village Gidderpindi along river Sutlej till the village
Kirtowal downstream. The lake is triangular in shape,
with its in apex in the west, a bandh called the Dhussi
Bandh also called L.M.B. forming one side, a canal, the
second and a major Road, the third.
The wetland area is spread over an expanse of about
148 Sq. km. of which 41 Sq.km. is open water. It is
situated approximately 55Km. South of Amritar, 83 Km.
from Jalandhar v ia Lahian, 70, Km. from Kapurthala via
Gidderpindi, 56Km. from Ferozpur via Zira and 150Km.
from Chandigarh North West.
It is approachable both by bus and rail. The nearest
railway station is Makhu which is only 5 Km. from
Harike. It is possible to reach by bus from Jalandhar,
219
Amritsar, Kapurthala and Ferozpur. The nearest airport
is Rajasansi international airport .
15. Samadh of Shravan, Amritsar
This destination is located about 6 kilometers from
Ajnala near Jastarwal earlier known
as Dashrathwal. This monument is
one of the oldest heritage spots in
Amritsar. It belongs to the
Ramayana period.
A legend has it that Shravan
lies buried here after he fel l from
the arrow of King
Dashrath, the lord of
Ayodhya. The smadh is
situated on the banks of
an old rivule t. Over the
years, Shravan has
become a role model for
fi lial affection and
devotion to parents. This
monument can be developed as a pilgrimage by taking
required efforts.
16. Ram Tirath, Amritsar
The Ram Tirath Temple is one of the prime attractions in
Amritsar. It is located 30 km west of Amritsar on Chogawan
road, the place dates back to the period of Ramayana. This
historical temple is a famous place of pilgrimage for the
Hindus. The main attractions of this place are beautiful
sculptured scenes from ancient Sanskrit epic. It was the
site of Sage Valmiki's hermitage and the place where Sita,
220
the consort of Lord Rama had taken refuge and given birth
to her twin sons. The place has an ancient tank and many
temples. The Ramayana
was composed here. A hut
marks the site where Mata
Sita gave birth to Luv and
Kush and also, still existing
is Rishi Balmiki's hut.
There is a well with stairs
where Mata Sita used to
take her bath. The famous
battle between Luv-Kusha and Lord Rama was fought here
in the surrounding forests. The Bedis of Punjab (Guru
Nanak Dev ji, the founder Prophet of Sikhism was a Bedi)
trace their descent from Kush and Sodhis (the 10th Prophet
of Sikhism, Guru Gobind Singh ji was a Sodhi) from Luv.
Every year a seven days fair is organized here and a
number of pi lgrimages come here to pay their homage. A
dip in the crystal clear tank is also a part of the rituals
for devotees.
6.3 Basic Requirements for Tourist Destination Development
It’s a well known fact that there can be no tourism
without a destination. When people travel, they go to some
particular place. For a destination to develop and sustain
itself there must be a presence of certain elements. These
elements are interrelated and have to function properly
with coordination of each other. Authors have provided the
six elements of destination development which are
extremely vital to the success of any destination. These
elements are popularly known as six A’s of Tourism.
221
Figure 6.2
Diagram showing Basic Requirements of Tourism Destination Development
Accessibility–This refers to the transport and
transport infrastructure to reach the destination.
Tourists look for comfort and hassle-free travel. There
are many important factors such as comfort, cost,
convenience, time for travelling, and safety which need
to be considered before undertaking a journey. Tourists
look forward to smooth travel in terms of regular
schedules, well developed network of roads, railway
lines, airports and adequate means of safe transport.
Accommodation–It plays a central role in the
development of tourism. Every tourist needs a place to
stay and relax. Tourists look for clean, hygienic and
well maintained accommodation with a comfortable
bed, clean linen, and sanitary faci lities with adequate
hot and cold water supply. Without suitable
222
accommodation there would be no tourism as
accommodation is the temporary home of the tourist at
the destination.
Amenities–It refers to the facilities available at the
destination which help in meeting the needs and wants
of tourists. Tourist amenities include food and beverage
facilities, drinking water, Electricity, good
communication network, local transport, automatic
teller machine (ATMs), proper garbage and sewage
disposal systems, medical facilities, etc.
Attractions–This is the principle reason for
undertaking travel to a particular destination.
Attractions are classified into four categories such as
Natural attractions, Human made attractions, Cultural
attractions, Social attractions.
Activities–A number of activ ities may be available at
the destination to suit various age groups and social
backgrounds. Tourists may be attracted to a
destination for any activity which helps them to spend
their time with pleasure.
Affordability–Tourist should be able to afford the trip
in terms of transport cost, accommodation charges,
entrance fees and other expenses. It means that the
trip should be affordable in both time and money. Tour
operators should prepare the package tours keeping
affordability in mind.
A successful destination should have a good
balance between these six ‘A’s and ensure that there is
something to see and do for people of different ages and
223
backgrounds so that a large number of people v isit the
destination (Roday, 2010).
6.4 Initiatives Taken by the Government
Department of tourism and Punjab Heritage and
Tourism promotion Board with the help of funds from
Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and the loan from
Asian Development Bank is conserving the numerous
monuments across the state in order to preserve the
heritage of Punjab.
Asian Development Bank has conducted a feasibility
study to identify the tourism potential sites in the state. ADB
has identified a list of projects to be executed under “The
India Inclusive Infrastructure Development Project” on behalf
of Government of India. An array of projects for tourism
development is to be carried out in the next five to ten years
on the basis of recommendations from UNWTO Master Plan.
Table 6.3
Amounts Sanctioned for the Development of Destinations (Rs. in lacs)
Sr. No. Year Name of Destination Amount Sanctioned
1 2005-06 Development of Sheesh Mahal 145.77
2 2005-06 Quila Chowk 13.04
3 2006-07 Moorish Mosque 26.62
4 2006-07 Shalimar Bagh 155.16
5 2006-07 Panchmandir 27.7
Source: Compiled from Project Documents, Department of Tourism, Punjab.
224
Table 6.3 depicts the amounts sanctioned by the
central government that has provided for the preservation
and promotion of untapped tourist destinations. However
the funds were so thinly distributed that it was not possible
to fabricate all the elements necessary for the successful
destination development. The successful development of a
destination requires easy accessibility, clean
accommodation, basic amenities, special attractions and
ample activ ities for v isitor from different age groups and
socioeconomic backgrounds, besides being affordable in
terms of time and money.
Conclusion
Punjab as a state has been considered largely as a
transit point by the domestic and foreign tourists visiting
Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, there is much
more to it. There are so many destinations which are not
looked after seriously. If these destinations are properly
developed and supported by requisite infrastructure, Punjab
has considerable potential to be promoted as an important
tourist attraction, and a destination point rather than a
transit point to both the domestic and foreign tourists
visiting northern region of India. Though state government
has taken various initiat ives to tap the untapped potential
of the state but it is mostly in an unintended way. These
destinations lack any of the required six A’s of destination
development. Punjab Tourism should give due importance to
the overall destination development and promotion to fully
tap the potential of these destinations.
**********