Rs2.6 crore for water sports infra in Una

Una, December 31

The state Tourism Department has sanctioned Rs 2.6 crore for infrastructure development for water sports and allied activities at Androuli village near the banks of the Gobind Sagar reservoir in the Kutlehar Assembly segment of the district.

Rural Development Minister Virender Kanwar today said that the Una district administration had received the funds sanctioning letter. He added that besides constructing a water sports complex and infrastructure for parking and other amenities, a shopping complex for marketing rural products and eating joints would also be established.

Androuli village presents a picturesque scene with vast spans of the lake encircled by lower Shivalik mountain ranges and the famous Baba Garib Nath temple that remains submerged in the lake water for nearly six months.

Water sports activities, including adventure sports and angling, were being promoted to boost tourism in the region through the Kutlehar Tourism Development Society headed by the Deputy Commissioner.

Kanwar said that equipment for bird watching would also be provided at the venue as the Gobind Sagar wetland hosts migratory birds from across the Himalayas during the winter.

He said an expression of interest had been floated for the development of a water sports centre at Androuli and a few professional companies had made presentations to the Kutlehar Tourism Development Society. Kanwar added that the work to create civil structures and a botanical garden would be initiated soon and would be completed by April 2022. He expressed hope that the water sports centre would provide income generation opportunities to the local youth. — OC