The World Tourism Day 2019 was celebrated across Himachal Pradesh by welcoming tourists at bus stations, airports and hotels by offering them flower garlands, bouquets, Himachali caps and mufflers. The tourists were taken for a surprise after they received such unexpected welcome everywhere. Private hotels also welcomed tourists in traditional style. Special cultural programmes ere organized in the hotels. Some hotels even offered special discount on room tariff. This year the theme of the World Tourism Day is “Tourism and jobs: a better future for all” and India is a hosting country. As chief minister Jai Ram Thakur could not attend the seminar on WTD in Delhi, forest and transport minister Govind Singh Thakur represented Himachal. The CM attended Himachal Apple Festival – 2019 at Gaiety Theatre in Shimla. The festival is organized jointly by tourism and horticulture departments. The CM said that on the occasion of World Tourism Day, the tourism department has adopted “Himachal Apple Festival” as theme which shows the importance of apple in the economy of the state. He said apple cultivation and apple orchards could prove an added attraction to tourists visiting the state. “The horticulturists of Himachal are adopting latest technologies which are proving a boon to them as they are getting good prices for their produce. The apple growers should also go for latest varieties of apple to compete with the apple coming from other parts of the country and abroad,” he said. The CM crowned Shivankita Kanwar as Apple Prince, Deepanshi Thakur as Apple Princess, Yogesh as Apple King and Vanshika Katoch as Apple Queen on this occasion. He then cut a biggest apple cake, measuring 4.5ftX3.5ft and weighing over 200kg, prepared by tourism department alongwith Institute of Hotel Management, Catering and Nutrition, Kufri. The cake has entered into the India Book
The World Tourism Day 2019 was celebrated across Himachal Pradesh by welcoming tourists at bus stations, airports and hotels by offering them flower garlands, bouquets, Himachali caps and mufflers. The tourists were taken for a surprise after they received such unexpected welcome everywhere. Private hotels also welcomed tourists in traditional style. Special cultural programmes ere
World’s highest bungee jumping site at an altitude of about 10,500ft will come up at steep but beautiful gorge near Marhi in Manali very soon. In an effort to attract more tourists to Manali, the government is developing different adventure activities which are either longest, tallest or are located at the highest altitude in the world. After making a 350m-long sky-cycling track at Gulaba, which is the highest such track of the world at an altitude of 9,300ft, the proposed bungee jumping site is at staggering 10,500ft from sea level. As the site has been finalized, the work on the project will start very soon. Manali based Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (ABVIMAS) will supervise the construction work. ABVIMAS director Col Neeraj Rana said the jumping platform will be 182m (596ft) high from the ground which is highest in Asia. “No country in the world has bungee jumping site at this altitude. We shall fit four 32mm metal cables across the gorge and a motorized cage will take the jumper to the jumping site. The whole project is based on a latest technique which has been adopted recently by the New Zealand and the USA,” he said. He added that the purpose of setting up of longest or highest adventure activities at highest altitude in the world is to make them extreme and catchy. “We want to make Manali an adventure sports destination for the world. We are introducing all popular activities and are brining latest techniques. We are taking care of the safety and environment as well.” This will be the first and the only bungee jumping of Himachal while second in North India. While all other adventure activities are available in Kullu-Manali, the absence of bungee jumping was upsetting the adventure enthusiasts. The high
World’s highest bungee jumping site at an altitude of about 10,500ft will come up at steep but beautiful gorge near Marhi in Manali very soon. In an effort to attract more tourists to Manali, the government is developing different adventure activities which are either longest, tallest or are located at the highest altitude in the
The professionals, including doctors, from the USA have made Himachal a new hotspot to practice Ayurveda, the century-old ancient healthcare tradition of India, giving boost to the local tourism. A large number of Indian Ayurveda doctors in America are contributing in motivating Americans to adopt Ayurveda and yoga to heal their body and Dr Naina Marballi is one of them. Born in Mumbai, Dr Naina runs Ayurveda’s World, one of the oldest Ayurveda centres of New York City’s since 1998. Her centre is certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP) to provide Ayurveda study programs. From Hollywood celebrities to doctors and businessmen, a large number of Americans are pursuing Ayurveda with help of Naina. She brings her students to Himachal for study programs and her students further teach this ancient system of medicine to their students. “India has already become a wellness centre of the world. Himachal has the capability of becoming the national wellness capital due to its pleasant weather and scenic locations. I bring 34 students at a time and most of them are from America,” Naina said, adding that half of them are repeated students who wanted to visit India again and again. “The atmosphere of Manali which is perfect to study Ayurveda has left an unforgettable impression on my students. The students also practice yoga and they chant Sanskrit mantras.” Maria Elena Rumayor, a student from the US, said what can be the better place to learn Ayurveda other than India where Ayurveda evolved in ancient time. “I was excited to see Himalayas and study here. It’s beautiful. Ayurveda and yoga have impressed me a lot. Ayurvedic and herbal medicines ensure physical and mental health without any side effect. I have many reasons to choose Ayurveda,” she said. According to Alexandra Martynova, the only
The professionals, including doctors, from the USA have made Himachal a new hotspot to practice Ayurveda, the century-old ancient healthcare tradition of India, giving boost to the local tourism. A large number of Indian Ayurveda doctors in America are contributing in motivating Americans to adopt Ayurveda and yoga to heal their body and Dr Naina
In a public hearing organized by town and country planning (TCP) sub-committee in Manali to know the public views, all the people opposed TCP rules being enforced in the village areas as the Act was not practical in congested villages with limited land. The Himachal government will organize public hearings in different parts of the state to know the public views and to hear grievances. The TCP Act is likely to be amended based on the public opinion. The first such public hearing was organizing in Manali which was chaired by forest and transport minister Govind Singh Thakur who is the member of cabinet sub-committee for exclusion or inclusion of TCP areas. Besides TCP, officials from all the departments were present on the occasion. Villagers, hoteliers, stakeholders and panchayat representatives were present in the hearing. The present people were given chance to share their opinion and grievances one by one. All the people present on the occasion unanimously said that given the tough geography of Kullu district and limited land in congested villages, it was impossible to follow the strict rules of the TCP. As hoteliers are most affected by the TCP Act, a large number of hotel owners were present in the hearing. “The TCP department should have formed village level committees before making and enforcing the new TCP Act which brings villages under its purview. The villages are densely populated and everybody has limited land. If a person has a house on 150sqm land and he has three children who further want to build their own houses, the TCP Act does not allow building house on 50sqm land. The Act is made for the development of Himachal but Himachal cannot be compared with plain states. If anybody wants to make homestay or guesthouse in a village, TCP is
In a public hearing organized by town and country planning (TCP) sub-committee in Manali to know the public views, all the people opposed TCP rules being enforced in the village areas as the Act was not practical in congested villages with limited land. The Himachal government will organize public hearings in different parts of the
Bollywood star Sunny Deol’s dream project “Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas” featuring his son Karan Deol is set to showcase entire Manali, the adventure sports, its people, local artists, and the scenic beauty on the silver screen globally on September 20. While the movie has provided a platform to the local actors, Himachal is expecting a boom in the tourism industry. Sunny, who has been planning to set up a film city in Manali and has close relation with the local people, had committed to make a big-budget Bollywood movie totally based in Manali. From the lead roles to supporting actors, most of the star cast of Sunny directed PPDKP is from Himachal, particularly from Manali. As the theme of the movie is based on adventure sports of Manali that brings Karan close to lead actress Sahher Bambba, the state is expecting a boom in the tourism industry after the release of the film. Sunny has chosen lead actress Sahher Bambba from Himachal. However, according to Sunny, auditions for hunt for lead actress took place in many cities and he did not know that the girl belongs to Himachal until Sahher Bambba was shortlisted. The second lead role is performed by Manali girl Ritika Thakur. Kapil Negi, who runs an adventure travel company in Manali, is also in a major role who is a friend of Karan’s father and later his mentor after his father’s death. A large portion of the film is shot at Shaleen village near Manali and Sunny has given the opportunity to a large number of villagers to show their acting skills. Himachali song “Mera Bhola Hai Bhandari” fame Hansraj Raghuvanshi is given the opportunity to sing “Adha Bhi Jyada” song of the movie. The viewers of the movie will hear a large number of Kulluvi words
Bollywood star Sunny Deol’s dream project “Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas” featuring his son Karan Deol is set to showcase entire Manali, the adventure sports, its people, local artists, and the scenic beauty on the silver screen globally on September 20. While the movie has provided a platform to the local actors, Himachal is expecting
Himacal Pradesh chief secretary Dr Shrikant Baldi on Wednesday reviewed the progress of important tourism projects of Himachal Pradesh and directed officials to complete them within stipulated time period as they are of top priority of the state government. He said the government has sanctioned works worth Rs. 18.18cr for development of Janjehli area and Rs. 4.6cr are sanctioned for Pong area under 'Nai Raahein Nai Manzilein' scheme. He informed that Rs 3.72cr have been released for development of water sports in Larji reservoir. The project works of Rs 6.59cr were sanctioned for development of Pong area. “A detail project report (DPR) of Rs 100cr for spiritual tourism circuit is being prepared by Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation. The DPR will be prepared as per requirement of ministry of tourism, government of India. The authorities of Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti districts have been directed to provide land for development of tourist facility at Rohtang tunnel and Sissu,” he said. He directed the authorities to make it mandatory to register the trekkers going for various treks under Miscellaneous Adventure Activity Rule. He directed that the authorized agencies will have to provide a GPS band to monitor the trekkers to ensure their safety. He also reviewed the progress work of various ropeways and directed the concerned authorities to speed up the pace of work. He also reviewed the progress work of Bantony Castle, Shimla.
Himacal Pradesh chief secretary Dr Shrikant Baldi on Wednesday reviewed the progress of important tourism projects of Himachal Pradesh and directed officials to complete them within stipulated time period as they are of top priority of the state government. He said the government has sanctioned works worth Rs. 18.18cr for development of Janjehli area and
With aim to establish Himachal Pradesh as a model state for electric vehicle adoption and to provide sustainable, safe, eco-friendly, inclusive and integrated mobility, the state on Wednesday held a meeting regarding framing of the draft for Himachal Pradesh Electric Vehicle Policy – 2019. The meeting was held under chairmanship of chief secretary Dr Shrikant Baldi. He said the policy is targeted to achieve 100 per cent transition to electric vehicles (EVs) by 2030 in alignment with United Nation’s sustainable development goals and vision of government of India. He said main objective of the policy is to save environment, accelerate demand for EVs, promote sustainable transport system and to create public private charging infrastructure. “Policy is being framed to create a conductive atmosphere for shift from internal combustion engines to EVs. It will encourage use of hybrid electric vehicles by the government entities during transition period and will create new employment opportunities. The policy would promote the adoption of EV technology by way of providing fiscal and non fiscal incentives. It would promote creation of dedicated infrastructure for charging of EVs through various incentives as per standards notified for public charging infrastructure by Ministry of Power, government of India guidelines,” Baldi said. He added that a viable business model will be developed for private players to set up EV charging stations and infrastructure. The policy has provision to set up charging spots in commercial buildings like hotels and shopping malls. If vehicle is charged at domestic user facility, domestic rate of electricity would be charged across the state. “Non domestic, non commercial” rate would be applicable in public charging facility and commercial charging stations. The policy suggests that the Himachal Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission shall be the final authority to determine the rat of electrical power to EV charging stations.
With aim to establish Himachal Pradesh as a model state for electric vehicle adoption and to provide sustainable, safe, eco-friendly, inclusive and integrated mobility, the state on Wednesday held a meeting regarding framing of the draft for Himachal Pradesh Electric Vehicle Policy – 2019. The meeting was held under chairmanship of chief secretary Dr Shrikant
With an aim to provide tourists with a unique and eco-friendly adventure sports experience, Himachal government has established a “sky cycling” park at an altitude of 9,300ft at Gulaba, just below Rohtang pass. Officials believe tourists will make a beeline to experience cycling at the park which is perhaps the world’s highest sky-cycling park at such an altitude. Tourists would be able to run the bicycle on 350m-long metal cable while getting a 360 degree view of Rohtang pass, snow-clad Dhauladhar, and Pir Panjal range and Beas river. To ensure maximum safety of the visitors, the activity is being developed under the supervision of Manali based Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (ABVIMAS). The government is developing a “Prakriti Vatika” at Gulaba where forest department is spending lakhs of rupees. The vatika (garden) spread over a vast area has hundreds of trees of different species including pine, deodar, maple and Himalayan horse chestnut. Forest department is planting more species to make the garden unique and beautiful. The sky-cycling trek is being developed inside the prakriti vatika. ABVIMAS director Col Neeraj Rana on Thursday did a successful trial of sky cycling here along with the divisional forest officer Dr Neeraj Chadha. The cycling cable at some points is over 70f above the ground. Some local youth are being trained to operate this activity by the institute. The activity is expected to open for tourists by October. Officials said a 450m-long zip line, all-terrain vehicle (ATV) trek, kids play area, picnic area, walking trail, yoga and meditation area, a waterfall, shopping area, camping site, snow games, rappelling, toilets and many other activities are also being developed inside the prakriti vatika. While some activities will be operated in winter season during snowfall, others can be enjoyed in rest of the
With an aim to provide tourists with a unique and eco-friendly adventure sports experience, Himachal government has established a “sky cycling” park at an altitude of 9,300ft at Gulaba, just below Rohtang pass. Officials believe tourists will make a beeline to experience cycling at the park which is perhaps the world’s highest sky-cycling park at
The incessant rains in Kullu district have wreaked havoc as rivers are in flood, major roads and bridges are closed, people living close to rivers have started shifting to safe areas and landslides preventing people from going from one place to other. Both Manali-Rohtang-Leh and Manali-Chandigarh national highways are closed. A government school building at Palchan village has collapsed due to flood in Beas. A major bailey bridge at Akhara bazaar of Kullu that connects the Kullu town with left bank of Beas has been closed for traffic following Beas river damaged the approach road to the bridge.Two trucks and their drivers got stuck in the middle of the Beas at Patlikuhal near Manali after water level rose suddenly. Both, identified as Nand Kishor and Ravi, residents of Rajasthan, were rescued with the help of a rope and hydra crane.\n Traffic on Chandigarh-Manali national highway is stopped from Kullu and Mandi sides after a stretch of highway submerged near Duwada in Mandi district. While the buses and other heavy vehicles are stopped completely, light vehicles are being diverted to bypass road via Katola. A large number of buses, including tourist buses, are stopped at Bajaura. Police said the traffic will be resumed only after water level recedes and road becomes safe. The 38 Border Roads Task Force commander Col Uma Shankar said the Manali-Leh highway has also been blocked due to floods and landslides. “Massive landslides at Teling nullah and Pagal nullah in Lahaul have blocked the highway. We have cleared debris at Teling nullah but another slide has blocked it again. Machines are engaged to clear pagal nullah stretch. We have seen multiple landslides in 24 hours. We are working hard to resume traffic.” Chandigarh-Manali NH submerges near AutAll the water streams between Rohtang and Sarchu are in spate
The incessant rains in Kullu district have wreaked havoc as rivers are in flood, major roads and bridges are closed, people living close to rivers have started shifting to safe areas and landslides preventing people from going from one place to other. Both Manali-Rohtang-Leh and Manali-Chandigarh national highways are closed. A government school building at
The lure of a forbidding mountain, with its sheets of deceptively beautiful snow, is a powerful draw for adventurers. Over the ages, countless explorers have heeded that primal call, scaling the treacherous ranges of the Himalayas. Still, there a few virgin peaks in the mountains – though no one knows how many. Japanese and British climbers were the first to organise expeditions to challenging peaks of the hill state, but in the absence of official records of explorers’ and mountaineers’ routes, the words “first ascent” and “unclimbed peak” become controversial. Easy approach to base camp and the relatively hassle-free procedure of obtaining permit make climbing expeditions in Himachal cheap and highly popular. A few peaks are more difficult to conquer than Mt Everest, a few have been scaled repeatedly and a few remain unexplored. While many peaks have good success rates, scaling attempts have remained unsuccessful for the most part on a few. Senior climber Rajeev Sharma, retired deputy director from Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (ABVIMAS), says there are many virgin peaks in the Mulkila and Dhauladhar ranges of Himachal. “The Akela-kela near Rohtang is a virgin peak. Many have been attempted and a few are still to be explored. Some are more challenging than the Everest. A large number of peaks in Himachal were explored by the British in the 1930s and 40s. These include White Sail, Ladakhi, Hanuman Tibba and Deo Tibba. Over 100 peaks are still virgin and unnamed,” he said. Rajeev, who has scaled the Everest twice, now organises climbing expeditions. His Japanese expedition teams have scaled seven virgin peaks in Karcha Nullah and Parang-La over the past decade. The Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) coordinator for Himachal says, “The IMF is creating a database of all the peaks with details of first ascents.” As it is, there is no dearth of explorers who want to go down in history as the first
The lure of a forbidding mountain, with its sheets of deceptively beautiful snow, is a powerful draw for adventurers. Over the ages, countless explorers have heeded that primal call, scaling the treacherous ranges of the Himalayas. Still, there a few virgin peaks in the mountains – though no one knows how many. Japanese and British climbers
