Y.S. Rana ,Chandigarh, Feb 2 : Tourism may be the revenue booster in future. Keeping in view this, the Chandigarh Administration has decided to promote Sector 42 in the Southern end of Chandigarh as a hub of tourism with a plan to develop the Garden of Palms at a cost of Rs 311 lakh. The garden is situated adjacent to man-made lake which is already attracting a lot of visitor .
A special cycling track is being laid on an adventurous terrain including mound and undulated areas is being laid to promote bi cycle tourism.
Ms Amandeep Kaur, GM CITCO, Chandigarh has stated that another attraction is being added that shall be a tourist Reception Centre in a saucer’s shape which shall be constructed in the Garden of Palms for the convenience of tourists blending with the green environs. Two artistic bridges over the N choe shall be constructed for linking the Garden of Palms with the Sector 42 lake area.
Tourist facilities will include Palms shaped tourist huts for seating area demarcated for the tourists within the Garden of Palms. The visitors can come to this tourist spots during the evening hours. The garden and the walk ways shall be illuminated with special lightht effects. Opposite to Garden of Palms, another theme based Garden namely Garden of Springs is being set up in Sector 53 with the financial support of Ministry of Tourism, Government of India an official of the Tourism Department said.
In a specially carved section of the garden, various colourful tourism multi play systems shall be installed to meet the needs of youngsters/children accompanied the visitors / tourists. More than 50 varied species of palms have already been planted in the Palm Garden which shall make this garden a special attraction for tourists going to adjoining states on the Vikas Marg linking both the garden of Palms and Garden ofSpring.
According to the Secretary Tourism, Sh.Ram Niwas, Chandigarh Administration is also planning to create a new infrastructure within the Beant Singh memorial adjacent to the Lake in Sector 42. A large convention hall is also being planned in this area to promote M.I.C.E.tourism so that large national and international conferences and exhibitions can be held in Chandigarh is becoming a major business hub
of North Western Region.