Home Secretary visits Tourism project sites

INVC

Chandigarh,

With the sanction of Rs 43 crore by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, for tourism projects in the city beautiful, the Chandigarh Administration is all geared up to stride forward in its mission for greening the city beautiful. Today the Home Secretary UT, Sh.Ram Niwas accompanied by Chief Engineer, Chief Architect, CITCO MD, Director, Tourism, Chief Conservator Officer, Principal of College of Architecture, Executive Engineer from Horticulture and other officials of Chandigarh Administration reviewed the ongoing progress of various sites like Sukhna Lake, Sector 42 Lake, Valley of Animals, Sector 49 and Garden of Conifers, Sector 52.
             The team visited the island at Sukhna Lake to review the work in progress at the island. The raised open hand structure on island will be beautified for which the plan has been drawn aesthetically. The Home Secretary told the team to decorate the periphery of the island with a Bougainvillea hedge and raise the base so that an impact of floating basket can be given. He further instructed to cover the area with lots of flowers, colorful shrubs to make the landscape more colorful and attractive. The fountain will also be covered with multihued shrubs. The area behind the island has been left untouched
to maintain the natural habitat of the migratory birds. In addition, the island will also be illuminated as a part of night tourism project.
           The landscaping work at Sector 42 Lake is also making progress. It is planned to construct a cycle track there. The cycle path will have adventure elements like tunnels, safe jump over, and low level impediment areas so that cyclist can have fun while riding. A special feature of the lake will be traditional and ethical huts, erected all over the land. Around 80 varieties of Palm trees have also been planned to beautify this new tourist spot. Apart from this, two bridges on different themes will also be set up. The College of Architecture will design and theme these bridges. Thereafter the team proceeded to the Animal Garden in Sector 49, where the valley of animals is proposed to come up. The concept of the garden is that different kind of Eco systems like Safari dessert, Asia Forest, Sea will be created and the animals of that respective system shall be brought in to attract the children.

             The leveling work at the site of Garden of Conifers in Sector 52 will also be completed shortly. The area of 30 acres will be covered with conifers with around 40 different varieties of conifers. The Ministry of Tourism has also released an additional amount of Rs 1.8 crore for development of the Garden of Conifers in Sector 52 apart from the release of Rs 4.5 crore for development of Garden of Palms in Sector42 and the animal theme based garden in Sector 49. The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation shall develop the animal theme based garden on an area of 8 acres in Sector 49 as a major attraction for visitors in the southern belt of the city.
              During the visit to Sector 31, the Home Secretary further asked the engineering department to make the concept of a Japanese garden which will come up in the green belt of Sector 31- A, B, C, D, and will be connected through an under pass. The special feature of this garden will be a Zig Zag foot path, lamp lights, water features, stone features and water falls. All these upcoming projects are for the sequential progression of the new growth trajectory in Chandigarh.