Government fails to prolong stay of tourists

Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 24

The tourism industry has failed to get impetus from any of the government introduced heritage projects. Individual efforts were appreciated and taken note by international investors and agencies. Projects like restoration of Ram Bagh and construction of heritage village continue to hang fire.

Snatching incidents

The government has failed to prolong the stay of tourists in the city despite their huge influx.

Though the holy city is counted among the top 10 most visited cities in the world, its tourism industry is slurred with assaults on tourists. There have been unabated snatchings of purse, chain and belongings of tourists. However, big brands of hospitality continue to repose faith in the tourism industry of the city of the Golden Temple.

Tourist-friendly atmosphere

No attempt has been made to create tourism friendly atmosphere in the city. Tourists from around the world and across the country visit the holy city. The attitude of shopkeepers, rickshaw pullers and auto-rickshaw drivers towards these visitors has to be changed. Many instances of fleecing and looting of tourists have come to light in the past.

Tourism police

The tourism police formed with much fanfare years ago in the city remains dormant. Plans to revive it have remained non-starter. There is an urgent need to deploy policemen at key sites and at railway station and airport to make the stay of tourists convenient.

Unpopular heritagesites and walks

Lack of promotion has taken its toll on the heritage walk, Panj Sarovar Walk and Pul Kanjari, near Attari village and Maharaja Ranjit Singh Panorama. Despite spending crores for the setting up, revival and upkeep of these places, these venues have failed to attract visitors. The government and its agencies have made half-hearted efforts to popularise these sites among tourists.

Delay in opening heritage projects

The inordinate delay in opening tourist sites for the visitors has resulted in the slipping of the business opportunity out of the hands of the local industry. One of the most potential tourist projects being delayed is Gobindgarh Fort, raised during the Sikh Misl period. The fort was extended and developed during the reign of legendary Maharaja Ranjit Singh. It is a typical example of special defence mechanism initiated by the Sikh army against artillery attacks.

The summer palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Ram Bagh is also under preservation for the past many years. The complex includes the summer palace of the maharaja, fountains and baradari gardens replicating the Shalimar Gardens of Lahore (Pakistan). The Union Ministry of Culture has reportedly approved Rs 200 crore to make Amritsar a tourist hub by undertaking projects to restore monuments to original shapes.

Ram Bagh also houses Maharaja Ranjit Singh Panorama, which recreates the life of the legendary ruler through rare pictures and mannequins, the panorama recreates the glimpses of various battles (spread over 40 years) fought by the maharaja. However, the government has failed to popularise it among the tourists.

Heritage village, which showcase traditional Punjabi rustic life, culture, cuisine, is still under construction at Guru Nanak Dev University.

Encouraging signs

An international survey has ranked the hospitality industry of the holy city sixth in Asia for providing excellent boarding and lodging facilities to tourists at affordable price in an international survey.

Setbacks

Local hotels, stay houses and lodges found their occupancies slipping away due to floods in Jammu and Kashmir and the explosion at the Wagah border in the Pakistan.