MillenniumPost
Bengal

Tourists keen on visiting Jangalmahal this Puja

Kolkata: Jangalmahal, an area that remained a Maoist hotbed for years, has already become an important tourist destination in the state due to relentless efforts by the Mamata Banerjee government.

The state Tourism department expects that Jangalmahal is going to see a record number of footfall during Durga Puja this year. The area covers four districts — West Midnapore, Jhargram, Bankura and Purulia.

The Bengal government has left no stone unturned to promote Jangalmahal as a major tourism hub. The state Tourism department has taken up various projects to give a new look to the place which is abound in natural bounty.

The tour operators in the city are expecting a heavy rush of tourists in the area during this Durga Puja as they are already witnessing record bookings. According to an owner of Kolkata-based tour operator, the Jangalmahal area will see more than 25,000 tourists per day during this festive season.

Several tourist attractions in West Midnapore, Jhargram, Bankura and Purulia districts which wore a deserted look for many years due to the Maoist menace are now set to see 100 percent occupancy in all hotels during the festive season, said a senior official of a travel agency in Kolkata.

It may be mentioned here that the state government has taken up a project of constructing cable car rides to lure more tourists in the four districts. Several palaces in Jhargram have been transformed into heritage hotels and lodges. The state Tourism department has elaborate plans to connect Mukutmanipur with Ayodhya Hills and Subarnarekha with cable car rides.

People were afraid to visit the picturesque Mukutmonipur situated on the confluence of rivers Kangshabati and Kumari or the Ayodhya Hills in Purulia for so long due to Maoist violence. After coming to power, the Mamata Banerjee government resolved such issues and now, with socio-economic conditions of the people improving there after the state government introduced several development schemes, things are looking extremely bright.

Gongoni is being developed as a major tourist destination in West Midnapore. On the outskirts of the Garhbeta town, there lies a beautiful landscape that marks the area with tall gorges formed over thousands of years ago by the Silabati River.

It may be mentioned here that a trekking route has been created between Kankrajhor in Belpahari and Bhula Bheda in Jhargram. Stress has also been given on places like Tapoban, mini zoo, Rameswar temple in the same district. Cottages have been set up in various places along the Subarnarekha. A tourism park has been constructed at Gopivallavpur in Jhargram by the state Forest department.

The beautiful Ayodhya Hills which are a part of the Dalma mountain range had always been a favourite destination for years in Purulia, besides Bramni and Turga falls. Jhilimili and Mukutmanipur dam along with Susunia Hills in Bankura have always been a tourist hotspot.

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