PUNJAB will embark on a host of major initiatives to promote its tourism sector, with plans for new tourism facilities and enhanced transportation infrastructure.
The state’s deputy chief minister, Sukhbir Singh Badal, revealed that a 1,780-hectare entertainment city, which will house an amusement park, a night safari, a golf course, retail outlets and clubs, among other facilities, will be developed.
“We expect this entertainment city to be completely developed in the next four to five years. We want to position it as a hub for entertainment and a tourist destination,” said Badal.
Ranjit Sagar Dam will be developed as a new high-end tourism destination with water sports facilities and a 32m2 lake as attractions, while island sites will be available for hotel and resort development.
There are also plans to build a 106-hectare Medicity in Mohali, develop Gobindgarh Fort as a heritage hotel and restore Nabha Fort, revealed Badal.
Meanwhile, Punjab is also targeting the MICE segment with new convention centres in Mohali and Amritsar. Both facilities will measure 40 hectares and can accommodate 5,000 pax each.
Assuring easy clearances for upcoming hotel projects in the northern Indian state, Badal said: “We will offer single window clearance for new hotel projects. Soon we are coming up with an attractive policy for hotels to encourage (investment).”
He added: “We are the most well-connected state by air in the country. Besides the existing Amritsar international airport, Mohali international airport will be operational soon. We are also developing an international airport in Machhiwara. We have domestic airports in Pathankot and Ludhiana. The domestic airport in Bathinda is now ready too.”
A network of four- or six-lane expressways across the state, funded by an investment of Rs76 billion (US$1.39 billion), is due to be ready in the next three years, while the Rs75 billion Ludhiana metro project is expected to be completed in five years’ time.
