WB asks RITES to upgrade tourism infrastructure to promote tourism in the city, Darjeeling hills

Kolkata: The West Bengal government has approached central agency RITES for consultancy in upgrading infrastructure with a view to promote tourism in the city, Darjeeling hills and the sea resort town of Digha.

"We have approached the RITES, a Central agency engaged in providing engineering consultancy, for a comprehensive and sustainable tourism project in the state. We are waiting for their response by the end of the year," Tourism Minister Rachpal Singh said.

Stating that the state has tremendous potential in tourism, he said, the state needed to develop infrastructure to draw tourists from other states and abroad.

"Infrastructure could be improved on the basis of the RITES report. The cost required for the development could also be known only after the report is received," he said.

Two projects -- Kolkata Heritage Mega Tourism Project and Dooars Mega Tourism Circuit -- have been given priority for the year 2011-12, he said.

To revive the lost glory of Darjeeling, the tourism department has proposed to renovate and restore some of the iconic heritage properties there, the minister said.

These heritage buildings included Planters' Club, Gymkhana Club, St. Andrew's Church, Darjeeling and Kalimpong Monasteries, etc.

The tourism department also has plans to restore the houses like Tagore Museum and Sureil Bungalow, associated with Rabindranath Tagore at Mongpu in Darjeeling district.

At Kalimpong in the same district, the Chitrabhanu House and Gouripur House would be co-opted in the circuit of museums, the minister said.

PTI