Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday said the state government will soon establish the Manaskhand corridor to give a boost to religious tourism in the Kumaon region.
Dhami, who offered prayers at the Ma Naina Devi temple here on the second day of his two-day visit to the tourist hotspot, said steps have already been taken to make the corridor a reality and work is being done in a phased manner by the government.
Developing the Manaskhand corridor linking all the famous temples dotting the Kumaon region was one of the major promises made by Dhami during his campaign for the Champawat assembly bypoll, which he won with a record margin.
Under the first phase of the Manaskhand corridor project, a master plan is being prepared to develop and provide appropriate facilities for tourists at religious places in all districts of the region. Places with mythological and historical significance in Kumaon will be developed. Devotees and tourists from all over the country will be encouraged to visit these places, Dhami said.
Religious tourism will be developed on the lines of the Char Dham Yatra in the state, he said. Road and air connectivity is also being improved by the government to bring tourists to the Manaskhand corridor, he added.
Dhami also inaugurated the renovated office of the Police Transit Hostel during his visit. Before departing for Dehradun, the chief minister noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had praised Bedu (hill fig) in his monthly radio address 'Mann ki Baat' and thanked him for it.
He said the Uttarakhand government is also speeding up its work to develop horticulture in the hills and has increased the budget for horticulture.
(With PTI Inputs)
