NOW, THE State Tourism Department has managed to start flight operations from Bangkok to Varanasi.
The flight, to be operational from October 15, would facilitate the access of tourists to the Buddhist circuit in Uttar Pradesh, State Tourism Minister Kokab Hameed said on Tuesday.
He made the announcement after laying the foundation stone for 42 tourism projects in the Lucknow and the Kanpur regions.
Hameed said that the weekly flight would take off from Bangkok, halt at Kolkata and culminate at Varanasi.
A delegation comprising officials of the Government of India and those of the Government of Thailand is arriving in Lucknow on Wednesday for holding detailed discussions with the State Tourism Department regarding the potential of the flight operations.
At the function, the Minister laid the foundation stone for 12 projects. He also dedicated 22 projects costing around Rs 293.78 lakh in the Lucknow region and eight projects costing around Rs 87.26 lakh in the Kanpur region, to the public.
Agencies like UP Project Corporation, UP Social Welfare Corporation, UP Industrial Development Corporation, UP Jal Nigam and UP Tourism Development Corporation would implement the projects.
Later, addressing mediapersons at a press conference, the minister informed that a proposal for the Mahabharat circuit has already been sent to the Government of India. He said it was likely to be sanctioned within the next fortnight.
{{/usCountry}}Later, addressing mediapersons at a press conference, the minister informed that a proposal for the Mahabharat circuit has already been sent to the Government of India. He said it was likely to be sanctioned within the next fortnight.
{{/usCountry}}Hameed said that under this circuit, places like Hastinapur and Vidurkuti in Bijnaur would be highlighted. There was also a plan to develop Sinauli, a village in Bagpat where traces of Vedic period were found during excavations.
Historians were working on it and if proved that the excavations dated to the Vedic Copper Age, the place could become an international destination, added the Minister.
There is also a plan to develop the Sufi circuit that includes Fatehpur Sikri, Deva Sharif in Barabanki, Bahraich and Patiyari in Etah (the birthplace of Amir Khusro). Plans are afoot to strengthen the wildlife and eco tourism project in Dudhwa.
The minister was also preparing a proposal in which the Supreme Court would be requested to reduce night viewing distance of the Taj Mahal from 300 to 150 metres.