Lok Sabha listens to the monuments to get world class tourist amenities

New Delhi, April 3: To provide world-class tourist facilities at the various natural/cultural heritage sites, monuments and other tourist sites to make them tourist friendly and enhance their tourist potential and cultural importance in a planned and phased manner across the country, a project has been launched named “Adopt a Heritage Project.”

K. J. Alphons, MoS for Tourism said in Lok Sabha that Ministry of Tourism in close collaboration with Ministry of Culture and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has launched the project primarily focusing on providing basic amenities that include cleanliness, public convenience, drinking water, ease of access for tourists, signage etc. and advanced amenities like TFC, Souvenir shop, Cafeteria etc.

The project envisages that selected public sector companies, private sector companies and individuals will develop tourist amenities at heritage sites. They would become ‘Monument Mitra’ and adopt the sites essentially under their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity. They would also look after the operations and maintenance of the adopted site initially for the 5 years subject to review at any time.

The project began with 93 ASI ticketed monuments and has now been expanded to other natural and cultural heritage sites and other tourist sites across India. The project was launched by the President Kovind on 27th Sept, 2017 on the occasion of World Tourism Day.

The heritage sites/monuments enlisted are categorized as green, blue and orange on the basis of tourist footfall and visibility. As a part of project guidelines, it is mandatory for Monument Mitra, who is opting for a monument from green category to choose at least one site from either orange or blue category.

The most competitive and innovative vision would be considered as the successful bidding entity. The interested parties selecting more numbers of monuments from orange and blue category shall be given higher weight age. The Interested parties may also opt for any other heritage site/monument or tourist site not mentioned in the above list, under the project and the unlisted tourist site will automatically be considered under the blue category.

The project focuses on active industry participation to ensure a sustainable model formulation. Resources for the capital and recurring cost is proposed through industry participation, through CSR or any other funding option subject to review and approval of Oversight & Vision Committee.

Monument Mitras would associate pride with these activities and will be provided limited visibility in the monument/site premises.