INDIA: World Heritage Ahmedabad To Boost Tourism

The world heritage tag to Ahmedabad will help in promoting tourism and giving a boost to the local economy by creating more employment opportunities, Gujarat Urban Development minister said today.

A day after UNSECO inscribed Ahmedabad as India's first World Heritage City at a meeting at Krakwo in Poland, Minister of State for Urban Development Shankar Chaudhary said, "It is a matter of pride for us all.

With this, we have to become even more responsible towards preserving the city and keeping our areas clean as many tourists from outside the state and country will come here".

The guardian minister for Ahmedabad said that keeping the city clean was now the combined responsibility.

The tag will help promote tourism and employment. It will give major boost to hospitality sector. It is an opportunity to boost local economy, he said.

The government, he said, will develop a circuit which will join all heritage structures not just in Ahmedabad but also in areas around the city like Adalaj ni Vav in Gandhinagar, so that tourists visiting here could get to see a lot of other historic marvels.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said the tag has now put the city on the global map and it will help boost tourism.

"I would like to thank everybody who worked to achieve this. Because of the heritage city tag, Ahmedabad will now shine on the world map. It will emerge as an important centre for tourism," Rupani told reporters on the sidelines of an event here.

Leader of Opposition Shankersinh Vaghela called for those who hold "fundamentalist views" regarding the old city to shun such views.

"This is an opportunity for those who hold fundamentalist views regarding the heritage city to shun such views and work to build the city. I would request the Ahemdabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and the state government to ensure that they work to preserve the city and not let encroachment destroy it," he said.

Mayor Gautam Shah said the AMC will frame a roadmap by consulting citizens, scholars and leaders from the ruling and the opposition parties on how to develop the heritage city.

"We will consult all stakeholders including citizens, scholars and political parties and create a roadmap on how to develop the city," Shah told reporters.

The UNESCO had yesterday accorded historic city of Ahmedabad as world heritage site, making it the first city to get the honour.



Tourism Observer
www.tourismobserver.com