Ch'garh govt to develop tourist spots along 'RamVan Gaman Path'

New Delhi: The Chhattisgarh Government on Thursday approved the proposal to develop important places on what is commonly known as the 'RamVan Gaman Path' as tourist spots at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel at the Legislative Assembly premises.

State government officials said that the decision was based on several studies that show 75 places Lord Ram had crossed during his exile were in the forests of the state. Fifty-one of these spots were where he had taken refuge. The first phase of the project would involve a four-member team conducting surveys in eight of the spots to develop them as tourist destinations. These include Sitamadi-Harchaika of Koriya district, Ramgarh of Sarguja district, Shivrinarayan of Janjgir-Champa district, Turturiya of Balodabazar-Bhatapara district, Chandkhuri of Raipur district, Rajim of Gariaband district, Sihava (Sapt Rishi Ashram) of Dhamtari district, and Jagdalpur of Bastar district.

Facilities like approach roads, signages, tourist facility centres, interpretation centres, vedic villages, pagoda waiting shades, water-supply, toilets, seating benches, restaurants, waterfront development, electricity and others will be looked into for this project.

In addition to using its own budget, the State has also requested funds from the Union Tourism Ministry and this project will be publicised nationally and internationally.