Prayagraj: The district administration has decided to develop the city of Prayagraj as a tourist attraction on the lines of Ayodhya as desired by the state government.
The task of undertaking the tourism development in Prayagraj has been entrusted to Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA), which will coordinate with the tourism department for the same.
A consultant will also be hired for planning and executing this mega mission.
Going ahead with the plan, a road map has been prepared by the district administration and the same was presented at a recently held meeting chaired by divisional commissioner Sanjay Goyal.
It has been decided to hire a consulting agency as the work will be done simultaneously under the Prayagraj Mela Authority and the Smart City Scheme.
A detailed plan is being prepared for the development of the district under which tourist places will be marked at the entrance points of the city.
Information boards will be installed at different places having pictures of major temples and other tourist attractions.
Boards indicating distance and route charts will also be put up.
Besides, the official website of the tourism department will also be updated.
The website will have videos and photos of aarti of the deity.
Along with this, a brief description of major tourist places and special events to be held will also be uploaded.
“Apart from infrastructural projects, we will also undertake a survey for permanent constructions to be carried out at the places of tourist attraction.
For this, an expert consultancy agency will be hired,” said the divisional commissioner.
The idea is to jointly promote tourism and the cultural heritage of the city, he added.
Some major development works under the ambitious project include construction of a seminar hall on Triveni Pushp (Arail ghat) where cultural events could take place, a light and sound show to be organised in the district throughout the year, and construction of a Kumbh Kalash museum.
Some preliminary suggestions have also been given for the development of tourist-friendly infrastructure.
The suggestions being considered by the administration include proposal for water sports, development of the area around Sangam, a tourism circuit (which can also connect with other cities), marking of places and laying of a green field .
Developing townships and ensuring better connectivity to the airport are also on the cards.