INDIA: Lucknow Is Quite Safe To Visit

Lucknow is the capital of Uttar Pradesh, India.

Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, thrives along the banks of Gomti river. The city, Awadh and Uttar Pradesh fell to the British during the imperialistic era .

Today Lucknow is dotted with remnants of its rich cultural past.

Lucknow is the capital city of the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

This metro city is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division.

Lucknow has always been known as a multicultural city and flourished as a cultural and artistic capital of North India in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Today it continues as an important centre of commerce, aerospace, finance, pharmaceuticals, technology, design, culture, tourism, music and poetry.

Lucknow ranked 6th among all the cities in India for fastest job creation.

Lucknow is also known for its elaborate cuisine and Chikankaari, or exquisite shadow-work embroidery on fine muslin cloth.

Lucknow is a historically important city and for many centuries was at the heart of North Indian culture.

In particular, the city was famous for its Adab and Tehzeeb or manners and hospitality, intricate embroidery, beautiful gardens and dance forms such as Kathak.

It was also one of the sites of the 1857 Indian Mutiny or First War of Indian Independence.

The Hindi spoken in Lucknow is considered the most beautiful and gentle in the country.

The city has a population of around 2.5 million.

Lucknow is the heart of the art, cuisine, dance, culture and music of Northern India. It was the cradle of the Hindu-Muslim-Sikh symbioses that made India great.

It brought in the best of various cultures and accepted Western institutions like La Martiniere in her womb. It was made famous by the soft-spoken, and sweet tongued, Awadh-Lucknowai culture that was based on civilized behaviour toward fellow human beings.

Lucknow is the home of Urdu, Hindustani and Hindi languages. The city became known as a centre for Urdu poetry and courtly presence and diction, being the birthplace and city of residence for many poets.

The Mushaira, an event of poetry recitation forms the heart of Lucknow's nightlife where Mushairas go on into the wee hours of the night.

Lucknow's only rival in Northern India was Delhi, though Lucknowies were always embroiled in a healthy rivalry with Delhi, home of the famous poet Ghalib and others.

Lucknow is also famous for its sweetmeat, the sweet shops in the old city dates to 1850s. Awadhi and mughlai food is the delight of the visitors to Lucknow.

Another thing that may surprise visitors are the ubiquitous posters, billboards and signs boasting of great progress and bearing the picture of Mayawati.

She was the previous chief minister of Uttar Pradesh state and been quite controversial. Labeled by some as the Dalit Queen, she has come under fire for misuse of public funds and abuse of power.

She has spent millions upon millions of rupees on massive public works projects such as the Ambedkar Memorial which opposition leaders see as a waste.

No matter who you speak to in Lucknow, everyone will have an opinion about her. It's a great conversation starter.

Lucknow, much like the rest of the area from Amritsar to Patna, features a humid subtropical climate.

Winters have high temperature variations, ranging from 7°C (45°F) to 22°C (72°F) and therefore, a visitor should bring all kinds of clothing.

The city is occasionally affected by cold spells coming from the Himalayas and near freezing readings are reported almost every year.

During an extrordinary cold spell in winter 2012-2013 that affected much of northern India temperatures reached -0.1°C (31.9°F) for 2 consecutive days.

The record low is -1°C (30°F). During mid-spring the city is blistering with temperatures as high as 40°C (104°F) in April.

The record high is 47.7°C (117.9°F). By the beginning of July is usually when the indian monsoon arrives.

This however doesn't lower down temperatures a lot as they still top 34°C (93°F) and in combination with very high humidity the atmosphere becomes extremely unpleasant.

The monsoon ends around mid-September but it is still very hot and 30°C (86°F) stop occuring by the beginning of November.

Visiting Lucknow

There are daily flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Indore, Varanasi and Patna to Amausi Airport, Lucknow.

- Indian Airlines.

- Air India-Janata Travels, Hotel Clarks Awadh, 8, M.g. Road

- Lucknow International Airport has Direct flights to Dubai, Sharjah , Jeddah and Muscat.

Lucknow is on the Delhi-Gorakhpur railway route. Connections can be made from Agra and Allahabad.

A major railway junction, Lucknow is conveniently connected to many cities. Some of the important trains are : 12003/12004 Shatabadi Ex.

- Nainital Ex

- Sabarmati Exp

- Vaishali Exp

- Awadh-Assam Exp

- Neelanchal Exp

- Ganga-Yamuna Exp

- Lucknow Mail

- Gomti Exp

- Kashi-Vishwanath Exp

- Nauchandi Exp

- Bombay-Gorakhpur Exp

- Cochin-Gorakhpur Exp.

Lucknow is connected by road with all the major cities of the country. Some of the major road distances are:

- Agra 363 km

- Allahabad 210 km

- Ayodhya 135 km

- Kolkata 985 km

- Corbett National Park 400 km

- Delhi 497 km

- Dudhwa National Park 238 km

- Kanpur 79 km

- Khajuraho 320 km

- Varanasi 280 km.

The Bus Stations are situated at Alambagh, and Kaisar Bagh.

Buses from Sunauli-Bhairawa on the India/Nepal border stop on their way to Varanasi.

From Lucknow to New Delhi: There is a luxury air-conditioned sleeper bus from Quaiser Bagh Bus station. Route for this bus is Lucknow - Sitapur - Bareilly - Muradabad - Gaziabad - Delhi Anand Vihar ISBT.

Lucknow has excellent connectivity of AC Deluxe bus service operated by UPSRTC to cities like Delhi, Jaipur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Agra and Ballia.

These are safe and comfortable for tourists and women even during night journeys. These buses can be recognized by their distinctive colour Blue or Red with Platinum line written on it.

You can book tickets for these buses via internet and also from counter at Alambagh Central bus station.

Taxi and rickshaw drivers in Lucknow are of the more insistent type, although few of them will speak enough English to go to locations that are out of the way.

There are many car rental companies available. One should hire cars with local drivers, as traffic is dangerous for anybody not used to local traffic conditions.

City Buses are available on all major routes. These are a cheap, safe and reliable mode of transport.

Two types of three wheeler shared service is also available on most of city routes. Commonly known as Tempo and Auto. These can be recognized by their distinctive green colour and drivers with grey uniform.

These are a cheap and safe option to roam around. Whereas Tempo and Auto run on fixed specified routes, Auto can be hired as a taxi to your destination.

Prepaid Taxi and Auto Service is available at Charbagh Railway station.

Public Trans port in Lucknow is quite safe, however avoid travelling alone in odd hours.

Recently Radio Taxi service called Flash Cab has been launched in Lucknow. Though you won't find many of them around these can be booked or called. These are safe and better option for Tourists.

Places of interest are spread out over a large distance, therefore will require the use of taxis or rickshaws.

Cycle rickshaws contribute less pollution to this historic city than their motorised cousins and provide work to some who need it most.

Bara Imambara and Bhool Bhulaiya. A large and impressive tomb complex built in 1783. There is an interesting labyrinth too.

You could easily spend half a day wandering around these beautiful but crumbling examples of Mughal architecture.

If you hire a guide, do not expect him to know the way around. Guides are known to get lost in the labyrinth.

The ticket you buy lets you enter here, the Chhota Imambara, the Husainabad clock tower and picture gallery too, so do not lose your ticket. Please note that lone couples are not allowed to enter without a guide.

This prohibition is not brought to notice while buying the entry ticket. You will also have to pay a man 2 rupees to mind your shoes while exploring the complex, shoes are not allowed inside Bara Imambara.

500 INR for foreigners, 50 INR for Indian citizens. If you have Indian business visa, you can try to enter as Indian. Just be confident and stand your ground. In many cases it works.

Rumi Darwaza (Rumi Gate), Hussainabad Lucknow.

Chhota Imambara. An imposing mausoleum built by the third Nawab of Avadh in 1837. The ticket for Bara Imambara is also good for admission to Chhota Imambara.

La Martiniere College. Boys college. The building also known as Constantia, La Martiniere College is one of the oldest schools in the country. It was built in 1840 and started as a school in 1845.

The school building is still well maintained. The best time to visit is either in the morning at around 8 AM, when one can see the assembly, or after the school finishes at 1:30 PM.

This landmark building has also featured in several Bollywood movies.

Husainabad Clock Tower (Ghanta Ghar), Hussainabad Lucknow. A British landmark, set in a park with the somewhat poorly curated picture gallery, and a lake. A great place for sunset. The ticket for Bara Imambara also grants admission here.

Ruins of the Lucknow Residency and Museum. The bloody history of the demise of this Raj era compound is immortalised in the Museum in the Basement.

This was the scene of the 1857 First Battle for Independence, referred to by the British as The Indian Mutiny.

Although you can still clearly see numerous canon ball marks in the ruined buildings, thankfully it is a peaceful place today.

So much so in fact, that you are likely to stumble across couples taking a little private time in the leafy shady groves.

The Residency is clearly recognised by the locals and tourists alike as a breezy haven to escape from the bustle and dust of a busy Indian city. The Residency will try to sell you a photo pass for an additional 25 INR.

The guard will also ask you if you have a camera. However, once you are inside, no one will say anything if you take photos. 100 INR for foreigners, 5 INR for Indian citizens.

If you have Indian business visa, you can try to enter as Indian. Just be confident and stand your ground. In many cases it works.

Dilkusha ruins.

Qaiserbagh complex.

Crocodile sanctuary at Kukrail, near munshi pulia. It is very good & nice place 15 km from railway station. Entry free.

The Ram Krishna Math, Nirala Nagar.

The Zoo/Museum, closed on Monday.

Botanical Gardens. 6AM-8:30AM.

Indira Gandhi Planetarium. Tu-Su Shows 1PM-6PM (45 min shows 1PM-1:40PM English, 2:30PM-4:00PM, 5:00PM Hindi). 25.00.

Buddha Park. A small park on the side of a noisy congested road in Lucknow. A statue of the Buddha gives the park it's name. Often filled with homeless people and boys playing sports.

Shaheed Smarak.

Cathedral School, Hazaratganj.

Farangi Mahal. The Oxford and Cambridge of India author/poet Shibli Naumani. For more details see book by Dr. Francis Robinson on the Ul Farangi Mahal.

Colvin Taluqdars College. A must see place it has great architecture built in 1896 named after Sir Auckland Colvin.

Deva Shariff, around 30 km from the city, is a place of worship and faith where people from all the religions gather, a symbol of unity and love.

Amrapali water park.

Ambedkar Memorial. A massive new 107 acre development to honor Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar who was the architect of the Indian constitution. Impressive stone work, dozens of statues and fountains intermix with carefully sculpted gardens.

There are statues of dalit icons as well as incredibly self-indulgent statues of Mayawati, the Ex-chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. A police force exists to prevent vandalism and may search you before entering some areas. free.

Rammanohar Lohiya park.

Globe park.

Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary, Kanpur-Lucknow road in Uttar Pradesh.

Regional science center, Aliganj. nice place for all ages, so many items are exclusive.

Sahara Ganj Shopping Mall & PVR Cinemas, Shahnajaf Road.

East End Mall & Wave Cinemas, Vibhuti Khand, Gomti Nagar.

Fun Republic Mall & Fun Cinemas, Adjacent Eldeco Greens, Gomti Nagar.

River Side Mall & Inox Cinemas, Adjacent Taj Residency Hotel, Gomti Nagar.

Phoenix United Mall & PVR Cinemas, Behind Piccadilly Hotel , Alam Bagh Kanpur Road.

Hazaratganj, (center of the city. 6 day week. sepenceop.

NBRI (National Botanical Research Institute).

Haathi park. nice place 15.

Nepali kothi (Chowk, Old city), bagh tola, phool wali gali. Known for the traders from Nepal selling Saffron, Shilajeet & other herbs and herbal products.

Chikan dress, a cotton dress with hand-made embroidery, is a must-buy in Lucknow. These garments are both for men and women.

The cost is anywhere between Rs 250-5000 depending on the chikan work - hand embroidery work on cloth is of various types, Murri is the traditional handwork and is, therefore, a little more expensive.

In old Chowk and Aminabad, it is a small scale industry so it is cheapest to buy from there. There are a lot of shops next to each other, and for the obvious reason of close competition, you'll get the best bargain.

In Hazratganj or Ganj the same piece will cost some 200 rupees more but sunshine chikans there in janpat provide all wearings at best price.

Beware of the touts who will take you to shops near the Civil Hospital and Hussain Ganj where the prices are 500% higher!

Nishatganj.

Aminabad Market. Very old market, good for buying chikan or hand-embroidered clothes, leather shoes/bags and for chaat/sweets.

There's a pretty big book-market, a whole street. Gadbad-jhala is a ladies market to get cheap bangles and fashion jewellery but not gold.

Hazratganj Market. Very trendy and upscale. All recognizable Western brands will be available here.

Chowk, in the old city, just south of the Imambara complex and the clock tower. Lively market. This is the place to find bargains, and check out the locals. Visit in the evening.

Kapoorthala.

FUN Republic.

Inox. Movie multiplex and shopping mall

Sanatkada, 130, Jagdish Chandra Bose Road, Kaiserbagh. 11am-8pm. Sells wide variety of crafts, including woven and hand embroidered garments, short tops, sarees, dupattas, home furnishings, artefacts, silver jewellery and accessories, organic honey, jams, preserves and herbs.

Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Sthal, Gomti Nagar.

The Tornos Studio, Indira Nagar, Tornos House, C-2016 Indira Nagar. They have great collection of book on Indian Mutiny. One can visit to read pr watch a film on Lucknow. They will offer tea/coffee free of cost.

But nothing is for sale, great place for evening. All this by appointment.

Aminabad. Aminabad is old market of lucknow

Everyone in Lucknow knows about the famous tikkas and kebabs. They are Mughal delicacies.

Lalbagh, many roadside hotels near Aminabad and old Chowk offer cheap and unique types of dishes.

Also, try out the street next to Tulsi thatre in Hazratganj for some exotic non-vegetarian delicacies. Alamgir Hotel in the Old Nazirabad Road in Aminabad serves Awadhi food in reasonable price.

You will also find the famous Kulfi shop Prakash Kulfi in the same area. The Kulfi is exceptionally good. Full kulfi with saffron and faloodah is 100 rupees and the half which is more than enough for one person is 50 rupees.

The Food Court at Sahara Ganj, near Hazrat Ganj, is the recent hot favourite with a number of fast food joints. If coffee and tea is something you like, you will find a huge variety at Capuccino Blast at Mall Avenue.

At Akbari Gate, during winters one can also enjoy Kashmiri Tea - a red coloured hot tea with cream and Makhan Malai a local variant of ice cream, saffron flavoured, made by hanging unsalted butter overnight in dew and then aerating it by beating it. Kashmiri Tea is much more available in the evening.

Alzaiqa, Near Novelty Theatre. You can find great non-vegetarian food here, specially chicken.

Dainik Jagaran Chauk. Cheap and delicious non-veg food

Dastharkwan, Near Tulsi Theatre.

Haji Sahib's Shop, Akbari Gate. 7AM-10AM. This is in the heart of Old Lucknow. Serves the juiciest Nihari or lamb shanks in gravy and Kulchha a traditional bread. This is the best in the city.

Tundey's Kebabs, Aminabad and Food Court, Sharaganj Mall. Has been serving kebabs for more than 50 years.The place offers wonderful kebabs with parantha and also sells biryani.

Bajpai Kachauri Bhandar, Leela Cinema Road, Hazrat Ganj Lucknow. Best kachauri from lucknow.

Ram Asrey Sweet Shop, (Baanwaali Gali,Chowk Lucknow). Very good sweets and snacks like Namkeen,Daalmonth etc.

Veg kabab, At Baba ka Dhaba, Chandar Nagar market, Alambagh.

Basket Chat, at Royal Hotel,hazratganj and at sahara ganj.

Dastarkhwan, The street next to Tulsi thatre in Hazratganj. Exotic non-vegetarian delicacies, specially the special chicken masala, shaami kebabs and rumali roti/mughlai parathaas.

Kewal's, Outside Maqbara Compound, Hazratganj. Famous for their tea and mouth watering samosas - potato stuffed pancake.

KFC, Saharaganj Mall.

Lalbagh. Famous for their tea and mouth watering samosas (potato stuffed pancake).

McDonalds, Saharganj Shopping Mall, Fun Republic ,East End Mall and Phoenix mall.

Mint, Arif Castle. Offers alcoholic beverages and great food. Food festivals are common.

Paani Batashe, Sadar Cantt, Near chappan Bhog.

Pizza Hut, East End Mall and opposite Raj Bhawan.

Sakhawat, In a narrow lane next to Gymkhana Club, near Gemini Hotel, Hazratgunj. 5PM-10PM. A lesser-known but good joint for connoisseurs. Operating since 1911, it has a limited stock and little seating space, with a select clientele.

Sharma Tea House. Famous for their tea and mouth watering samosas or potato stuffed pancake.

Ultra Violet, Mall Avenue. Offers non-alcoholic beverages , great food and has a great ambience. Food festivals are common.

Aryan's, Hazratganj. is also located at many various parts of the city.

Royal Cafe.

Cassia.

Finding alcohol is not a problem, but most bars are seedy and are to be avoided, except for those in five-star restaurants.

A safer drink alternative is the famous local lassi yogurt drink.

Not all retail shops of wine/liquor are authorised to serve so it's always suggested to drink in a bar or at your home or hotel.

- Hotel Levana features an upscale bar with covered outside seating, including happy hour specials before 6pm. Wide selection of cocktails and some limited beer and wine options.

- Hotel Buddha Residency Hotel Buddha Residency situated only Approx. distance from all prime locations from Charbag 1.5 KM, Hazratganj 1KM, Vidhan Sabha 0.5 KM, Kaisarbagh 2.5 KM, Airport 11 KM , guests are well located to enjoy the town's attractions and activities.

- Hotel APSARA
New Sharma Hotel Opposite charbagh railway station. There are two Sharma Hotels there, One is 30 years old.

Sharma Hotel Opposite charbagh railway station. Contact person Shujat Hashmi.

- Hotel D D International

- Hotel Ganpati

- Hotel Asha

- Hotel Basant Vihar

- Hotel Park Avadh

- Hotel Raj

- Hotel Mera Mann

- Hotel Ganga Maiya

- Hotel Sunrise

- Deep Hotel

- Hotel Diamond

- Hotel Naznin Palace

- Hotel Dileep

- Hotel Ankit Yadav from NIEC

- Hotel Ashirwad

- Hotel Mansi Ganga near charbagh railway station.

- Hotel Manglam. Close to Aminabad. It is close to Husainabad Clock Tower, and Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary, not close to any of those, by Lko's distant standards this is another self-promotion attempt and this isn't a budget hotel. Rates start at India Rupees 1,290.00.

- Lucknow Homestay, 110D Mall Avenue. Has WiFi, home cooked meals and boasts of space. Just off The Mall. The hosts are super friendly and a mine of information.

- Hotel Gomati near Hazratgunj and Sharagunj mall is run by Uttar Pradesh Tourism and offers decent rooms at moderate cost.

- Hotel Gemini Continental' Hazaratganj, Lucknow

- Hotel Sagar International Opposite Butler Palace

- Comfort Inn Vibhuti Khand, Gomti Nagar

- Park Inn Laplace

- Arif Castles Rana Pratap Marg

- Carlton Rana Pratap Marg

- Hotel Simla Palace, 6 Gautam Budh Marg, Latouche Road, Lucknow 226001. Hotel Simla Palace is strategically located 1 km from the railway station and 13 km from Lucknow Airport.

- Hotel Taj Residency Gomti Nagar. One of the landmark hotels of Lucknow

- Clarks Avadh Parivartan Chowk, Mahatma Gandhi Marg is one of the more centrally located hotels in Lucknow. Clean, well-kept and very smart.

The restaurant named Falaknuma at the ninth floor has the right ambience to enjoy a Mughlai dinner with awesome views of the city.

The Murg Malai Tikka is recommended. The service at the restaurant leaves much to be desired however and the alcohol selections are in no way on par with what would be expected from an upscale hotel elsewhere. Wifi is available for a price.

- Piccadily Hotel Airport Road. It is new addition to the luxury hotels of Lucknow. Just 3 Kms from Lucknow Airport.

- Hotel Golden Tulip 6, Station Road. It is new addition to the luxury hotels of Lucknow. Just 2 Kms from Charbagh Railway Station and 16 kms from Lucknow Airport.

- Dayal Paradise, Gomti Nagar. checkin: noon; checkout: noon. 2400 INR.

Health Facilities Lucknow boasts of international standard health facilities, with world class hospitals like SGPGI, KGMC, Sahara Hospital etc. Besides these, there are the number of good private hospitals and diagnostic centres all over the city.

Considering the size of the city and its mini metro nature, Lucknow is quite safe to visit. Just adhere to basic safety rules as applicable to any foreign city and you will enjoy your stay in Lucknow.


Tourism Observer

INDIA: School Van Hit By Train Killing 12 Children And Injuring 12 Others In Uttar Pradesh State

A train crashed into a school van at an ungated railroad crossing in northern India on Thursday, killing 12 children, police said.

The van driver, who ignored a guard’s signal to stop, also was killed.

Another 12 children were injured in the crash and taken to a hospital in Kushinagar, a town 200 kilometres (125 miles) southeast of Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh state.

Five of them were in critical condition, top police officer O.P. Singh said.

The children, all between 5 and 14 years of age, were on their way to school after the van had picked them up from several villages, he said.

A railroad guard posted at the ungated crossing signalled for the van to stop but the driver ignored the signal and crashed into the train, rail official Sanjay Yadav said.

Shocked parents and relatives of the children rushed to the accident site and the hospital after hearing the news of the crash.

Accidents are common on India’s railroad network, one of the world’s largest with 23 million people riding daily on about 11,000 passenger trains.

Crossings that lack gates to block traffic or are not guarded round-the-clock are common, especially in rural India, with poor financing often hindering efforts to improve safety.



Tourism Observer

INDIA: 8 Injured Including Policemen In Cow Slaughter Inncident

At least eight people, including five policemen, were injured last week after a group of people resorted to stone-pelting when a police team raided some houses on an input of cow slaughter at Sherpur village making it the second incident of stone pelting in Uttar Pradesh.

Two cops were injured after a group of people allegedly resorted to stone-pelting when a police team raided their house on information of cow slaughter at Chaparasi village in Muzaffarnagar.

Acting on specific information that cow slaughter was being carried out at a house in Chaparasi village in the district, police conducted raids there last evening.

They seized meat and skin from the house following which about nine occupants of the house allegedly pelted stones at them from the terrace, SP city Ombir Singh said.

Tarik Waseem and Bhishember Singh were injured in the incident, he said, adding that police has registered a case against the accused and efforts are on to nab them. One of the accused was held by the police but later freed by the other accused.

Security has been tightened and extra police deployed as a precautionary measure.

This is the second incident of stone-pelting on the police in Muzaffarnagar. At least eight persons, including five policemen, were injured last week after a group of people resorted to stone-pelting when a police team raided some houses on information of cow slaughter at Sherpur village.

The controversial central notification banning sale and purchase of cattle at animal markets for slaughter was on Wednesday challenged in the Supreme Court which said it would hear the matter on June 15.

The matter was mentioned before a vacation bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and Deepak Gupta for an early hearing. The petitioner contended that the provisions in the notification were unconstitutional as they violated the fundamental rights including freedom of conscience and religion and right to livelihood.

The plea claimed that the government notification issued last month was "against the freedom of religious practice to sacrifice the animals" and imposing a ban on slaughter of animals for food violates the right to food, privacy and personal liberty guaranteed to a citizen under the Constitution.

It claimed that states like Kerala, West Bengal, Tripura and Karnataka have said that they would not implement the Centre's ban as it would impact the livelihood of those involved in this business.

It is also to be noted that slaughtering of animals for food, the foods and culinary made out of such animal flesh and offering sacrifice of animals is a part of cultural identity of such communities, which is protected from any legislative or executive encroachment under Article 29 of the Constitution of India which is not been subjected to any restriction by the framers of the Constitution, the petitioner, Hyderabad- based Mohammed Abdul Faheem Qureshi, said in his plea.

Complete ban of sale or purchase or re-sale of animals would cast a huge economic burden on the farmers, cattle traders who find it difficult to feed their children today, it said. They would be also required to feed the cattle as it was an offence under Act of 1960 (Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act) to starve an animal or failure to maintain it and would also give way for cow vigilantes to harass farmers and cattle traders under the blessing of the impugned regulations, said the petition filed through advocate Sanobar Ali Qureshi.

The plea further said the 1960 Act was not enacted by Parliament to prohibit or restrict any act of slaughter of animals for food or for religious sacrifice or the sale of animals for it.

It has sought the apex court's direction to declare these rules of Prevention Of Cruelty To Animal (Regulation Of Live Stocks, Markets) Rules and Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals (Care And Maintenance Of Case Property Animals) as ultra vires and unconstitutional.

The impugned provisions are imposing an absolute ban on slaughtering of animals in the country directly affecting the employment of the butchers and their trade, the plea said. It is depriving the citizens food of their choice and is in violation of the right to livelihood under Article 21 of the Constitution and also inconsistent and violative of section 28 of the parent Act, the plea said.

NEPAL: Three Climbers Die On Mount Everest

Three climbers died on Everest over the weekend and another is missing, officials confirmed Monday, in one of the deadliest episodes on the peak since an avalanche swept through base camp killing 18 two years ago.

More than a dozen climbers have also been rescued from the 8,848 metre (29,030 foot) mountain in the last three days after running into difficulties while attempting to summit, helicopter rescue operators said.

The three deaths over the weekend bring the toll to five so far this season, which has been hit by unpredictable weather, strong winds and unusually cold temperatures.

Slovak climber Vladamir Strba was found dead on Everest on Sunday, a few hundred metres from the summit, Kamal Parajuli of Nepal's Tourism Department confirmed.

He was above the 8,000 metre mark known as the mountain's "death zone" when he died, an area that also claimed the life of American climber Roland Yearwood.

The death zone is notorious for its difficult terrain and thin air, where low levels of oxygen heighten the risk of altitude sickness.

An Australian climber died on the Tibet side of the mountain, local media reported, quoting the Tibet Mountaineering Association.

The 54-year-old from Queensland was reportedly hit by altitude sickness after reaching 7,500 metres and died as he was trying to descend.

A forth climber has been missing since Saturday when he lost contact shortly after reaching the summit. His Nepali guide was found unconscious at Camp 4, just below 8,000 metres, with severe frostbite.

A search operation in underway for the climber, who is from India's northern Uttar Pradesh state, but authorities at base camp were unable to contact the rescue team on Monday morning.

Other deaths this season include that of legendary Swiss climber Ueli Steck in late April while on an acclimatization climb, and 85-year-old Min Bahadur Sherchan who perished attempting to reclaim his title as the world's oldest person to summit Everest.

More than 120 climbers have successfully summited Everest from the south side so far this season with another 80 reaching the peak from the Tibet side.

Hundred of climbers are still waiting to summit before the monsoon arrives in early June, which marks the end of the short spring climbing season.

Last year Everest claimed the lives of five climbers, while a total of 640 people summited from both sides of the mountain.

INDIA: Link Uttar Pradesh Tourist And Pilgrim Spots By Helicopter Service

To promote religious tourism in Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi Adityanath government intends to link the places of tourist and pilgrim interest in the state with helicopter service.

This was conveyed by the chief minister during a presentation of Toursim Department when he asked the officials concerned to link major tourist centres including Lucknow, Mathura, Vrindavan, Ayodhya, Prayag (Allahabad), Vindhyachal, Naimisharanya, Chitrakoot, Kushinagar and Varanasi and other places of tourist importance with helicopter service, an official spokesman said here today.

The chief minister instructed during the presentation late last night that the civil aviation department should link these places with the help of public-private participation.

He instructed that the Agra-Lucknow-Varanasi and Lucknow- Allahabad-Gorakhpur sectors be included under the regional connectivity scheme of the central government for providing low cost air service.

Stressing on boosting health tourism with focus on yoga, he suggested preparing a work plan at the earliest for conducting programmes in Gorakhpur and Varanasi.

Instructing officials to make special efforts for boosting investment in tourism sector, he mooted a proposal of appointing 500 tourist police for providing better facilities and cooperation to tourists coming to the state.

Proposing organising an international literary festival of Hindi and Sanskrit in Varanasi, he said it could be used for showcasing Indian culture.

The chief minister suggested organising a road show and food festival in Mumbai in July, besides setting up a one-stop travel solutions portal in eight foreign languages and a detailed plan for developing the state as a medical and wellness tourism destination, the spokesman added.

India has jumped 12 places to 40th rank globally in travel and tourism competitiveness list by World Economic Forum.

India is one of the countries that improved the most as it gained 12 places in Asia, but lagged behind its other Asian peers like Japan and China which were ranked way ahead at 4th and 13th place, respectively. Spain is ranked at the top in the list.


"India continues to enrich its cultural resources, protecting more cultural sites and intangible expressions through UNESCO World Heritage lists, and via a greater digital presence," WEF said in its Global Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2017.

Some of the factors that helped India climb up the ladder include international openness through strong policies such as implementing visa on arrival and e-visas, and improvements in the country's ground transport infrastructure which benefited the travel and tourism sector in the country, it added.

India has seen continued growth in international arrivals over the past 15 years, reaching the eight million mark in 2015, WEF said, adding the country's vast cultural and natural resources, and its price competitiveness advantage also attracted international tourists.

The report, however, noted that though health conditions are improving, they remain "inadequate". Similarly, ICT readiness, security concerns and human resources are improving, but remain "weak".

"While further improvements are needed across these dimensions, India is taking small but important steps in the right direction," WEF said, adding that the Indian travel and tourism sector presents significant opportunities that are yet to be reaped, especially in the provision of tourist service infrastructure, and in terms of additional accommodation capacity and entertainment facilities.

In the global ranking Spain, France and Germany were ranked at the top three positions, making them the most tourism friendly economies.

Traditional strong travel and tourism destinations, including Japan (4th), the United Kingdom (5th), the United States (6th), Australia (7th), Italy (8th), Canada (9th) and Switzerland (10th), have also made it to the top 10.

While advanced economies still hold the top slots, 12 of the top 15 most improved countries are emerging markets.

"The rise of Asia's giants shows that the Asian Tourism Century is becoming a reality. To reach their potential, the majority of countries still have more to do, from enhancing security, promoting their cultural heritage, building their infrastructure and creating stronger visa policies," WEF Community Lead of the Aviation, Travel and Tourism Industries Tiffany Misrahi said.

These results are of significant importance as tourism helps economic growth and job creation - up to 1/10th of global GDP and jobs are tourism-related, WEF noted.

The report ranks 136 countries across 14 dimensions, revealing how well countries could deliver sustainable economic and societal benefits through their travel and tourism sector.

Medical tourist arrivals in India up 25%

The country is witnessing 22-25 per cent growth in medical tourism and healthcare providers expect the industry will double to $6 billion by 2018 from $3 billion now.

The ministries of health, external affairs, tourism and culture are working to increase the number of medical tourists. The government provides online visas, multiple entries, extensions of stay, and accreditation to more hospitals. Several other measures are under way, according to the Indian Medical Association (IMA). “The government has improved the visa policy to make it patient friendly. There is no waiting time for foreign patients at hospitals,” said Radhey Mohan, vice president, international business development, at Apollo Hospitals. The chain received 170,000 foreign patients from 87 countries during 2016-17.

Medical tourists to India typically seek joint replacement surgeries, heart, liver and bone marrow transplants, spine and brain surgeries, cancer and kidney treatments, and in vitro fertilisation (IVF).

Patients from Africa and the Middle East access private healthcare in India due to lack of facilities and doctors back home. Medical tourists from Europe and the US come here for cosmetic surgeries that are not covered by insurance. “We do bariatric surgery at $6,000-8,000, while it costs around $15,000 in the US. Almost 15-20 per cent of our surgical patients are from other countries,” said Dr Sukhvinder Singh Saggu, practising laproscopic surgeon at Apollo Spectra New Delhi.

Non-resident Indians, persons of Indian origin (PIOs) and overseas citizens of India (OCIs) prefer to come here for IVF and gynaecology treatments. “They spend only 30 per cent of what it costs in the US or UK. Moreover, they have family support here,” said Dr Kamini Rao, medical director at Milann — The Fertility Centre.

AV Guruva Reddy, managing director of the Hyderabad-based Sunshine Hospitals, said the general standard of hygiene and technology in Indian medical facilities had improved. The number of foreign tourists coming to the country for medical purposes increased 50 per cent to 200,000 in 2016 from 130,000 in 2015. This number is expected to double in 2017 with several new initiatives like easier visas for medical tourists.

Modi's birthplace soon to become a museum, be thrown open to public

Soon, those interested will be able to visit a museum in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthplace, Vadnagar, if things go according to plan. A trip along the narrow bylanes of Vadnagar, the ancient capital of the Gujarat kingdom that the Puranas describe as a flourishing city, is set to become more interesting as tour operators work to create a “Modi landmarks” tour around the city.

The state tourism department, too, is also in the process to develop Vadnagar-Modhera-Patan as a heritage tourist circuit that involves a Rs 7.9 crore redevelopment of Vadnagar railway station (where once Modi sold tea as a boy). Union tourism ministry has sanctioned Rs 99.81 crore for the circuit under the Swadesh Darshan Circuit, and Gujarat Tourism is the nodal agency for executing the same. While this involves creating tourism infrastructure and preservation of these heritage sites together with promoting it for tourists, local travel operators are banking on the Modi connection to sell the package.

The Gujarat Tourism Development Society (GTDS) that comprises several key tour operators in the state is planning to convert the erstwhile house of Modi’s family into a museum. Modi’s family had sold their modest house in Vadnagar where the PM had spent most part of his childhood when they moved to Gandhinagar, the state capital.

Manish Sharma, owner of Akshar Travels and also the chairman of GTDS, says that they are in talks with the current owners and in case they are willing to sell the property, it could be converted into a museum that would showcase the journey of Modi from this small town in north Gujarat to 7 Lok Kalyan Marg. “As it is, many inquisitive tourists descend on Vadnagar and everyone who comes to this town makes it a point to visit Modiji’s house. The house is always thronged by many tourists and the current owners might just want to sell it off,” says an optimistic Sharma who has already made an offer to buy the property.

His agency has been conducting a guided tour called “A Rise from Modi’s Village” since January 2015 and so far around 25,000 people have already taken the tour, including yoga-guru-turned-entrepreneur Baba Ramdev and Union Minister for Tourism, Mahesh Sharma.

The 7.00 am to 7.00 pm tour which costs Rs 700 per person starts from Vadnagar and covers Patan (famous for its 11th century step-well Rani Ki Vav, a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and Modhera (famous for its 11th century Sun Temple located on the Tropic of Cancer).

Sharma claims that they had recently showcased the “Rise from Modi’s Village” tour at ITB-Berlin, a leading international travel and tourism fair, in March this year, and received phenomenal response from tourists from Africa and West Asia.

“We already have several hundred queries and expect around 50,000 tourists may visit the place in a year,” he claims.

Vadnagar surely has an old world charm and has catapulted to the national fame post Modi’s ascent to Delhi.

S J Haider, principal secretary tourism, Gujarat government, who is the nodal officer for executing the tourism ministry’s plan, says that there are plans to develop Modhera as a solar town keeping true to the site’s century old connection with the Sun Temple, an architectural marvel built by the Chalukya rulers.

As for Vadnagar, the tourism department is planning to develop the several lakes in the region, the most famous being the Sharmishtha lake (where a young Modi had once swam with crocodiles). “There is a plan to develop a theme park, boating jetty at Sharmishtha lake. This apart, there are plans to develop public utilities, pathways, landscaping of the area around the famous torans or gates at Vadnagar that have huge heritage value.”

At Tana-Riri close to Vadnagar, which is famous for its annual musical conference, plans are afoot to build an amphitheatre. The Vadnagar railway station, too, is in for a makeover as the tourism department would be developing a new façade apart from close circuit television and modern amenities.

As such the Western Railways is already converting the Mehsana-Tarange Hill metre gauge section into broad gauge, of which Vadnagar station is a part.

As for Patan, it already is famous for the step-well and its Patola sarees. Tourism department would be working on developing tourism infrastructure in the area and create tourist amenities.

INDIA: Uttar Pradesh Wants Air Connectivity To Tourist Sites,Poachers Shot In Kaziranga National park

The Uttar Pradesh government is exploring air connectivity to major religious tourist places in the state, an official said on Friday.

The airports would be established under the regional connectivity scheme

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has asked the tourism department officials to work out an action plan to connect religious hot spots including, Lucknow, Mathura, Vrindavan, Ayodhya, Allahabad, Vindhaychal, Naimisharanya, Kushinagar, Varanasi and Chitrakoot through helicopter services.

At a meeting held to review the civil aviation department, Yogi said the state government will also explore the possibilities of establishing more airports in Uttar Pradesh to boost tourism.

The airports would be established under the regional connectivity scheme, an official said.

The construction of airport at Kushinagar, extension of the air strip at Chitrakoot and construction of a new air strip at Kanpur was on way, the official added.

Before they could succeed in their nefarious design, the anti-poaching squad of the famous Kaziranga National Park managed to gun down two poacher late on Saturday night in the park.

According to reports, the forest department officials received a tip off about the possible strike by poacher in the park. But before the poachers could carry out their evil design, the alert forest guards posted in the park intercepted them and were challenged to surrender.

Instead of laying down their arms, the poacher indulged in indiscriminate firing, said a park official who added that the anti-poaching squad effectively retaliated by returning the gun-fire in which two poachers were killed in Agaratoli forest range.

The forest guards recovered two rifles and some ammunition from the dead poachers.

It may be mentioned here that in comparison to killing of 21 rhino in the current year by poacher, a total of 15 poachers have also been shot dead by the anti-poaching squad of the Kaziranga National Park in the same period.

This includes the poachers shot dead on Saturday night, said an official of the forest department.

INDIA: Tourism projects worth Rs 300 crore cleared for Uttar Pradesh Gets Tourist Projects Worth Rs 300 crore

Trying to reach out to the religious pilgrims in Uttar Pradesh, the central government on Tuesday cleared tourism projects worth over Rs 300 crore "in-principle" in Uttar Pradesh under the Ramayan and Krishna Circuits.

Trying to reach out to the religious pilgrims in Uttar Pradesh, the central government on Tuesday cleared tourism projects worth over Rs 300 crore “in-principle” in Uttar Pradesh under the Ramayan and Krishna Circuits. The decision was taken at the first meeting of National Committee on Ramayan Circuit and National Committee on Krishna Circuit held here under Swadesh Darshan Scheme of the Union Tourism Ministry.

The meeting was chaired Tourism and Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma and attended among others by Tourism Secretary Vinod Zutshi, experts and senior officials of the ministry, an official release said here. The Ministry has launched the Swadesh Darshan Scheme in 2014-15 with an aim to develop theme based tourist circuits in the country on the principles of high tourist value, competitiveness and sustainability in an integrated manner, the release said.

Under Ramayana Circuit, 11 destinations spread across six states have been proposed. These are : Ayodhya, Nandigram, Shringhverpur and Chitrakoot (Uttar Pradesh), Sitamarhi, Buxar and Darbhanga (Bihar), Jagdalpur (Chattisgarh), Bhadrachalam (Telangana), Hampi (Karnataka) and Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu)

The expert committee also suggested to include Chitrakoot (Madhya Pradesh), Nashik and Nagpur (Maharashtra) and Mahendragiri (Odisha) in the proposed circuit, the release said. Under Krishna circuit, 12 destinations spread across five states have been proposed. These are: Dwarka (Gujarat); Nathdwara, Jaipur and Sikar (Rajasthan); Kurukshetra (Haryana), Mathura, Vrindavan, Gokul, Barsana, Nandgaon and Govardhan (Uttar Pradesh) and Puri (Odisha).

INDIA: Indian Officials Lord It Over Tourism Envoy

British actor Orlando Bloom has been allowed entry into India after being turned away a day earlier from Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi because he lacked a valid visa.

The Lord of the Rings star was able to enter the following day after the External Affairs ministry intervened and gave him a special visa.

Bloom was invited by the top elected official of Uttar Pradesh state to promote tourism. He applied for an e-visa and arrived Saturday without realizing there was a problem with his application.

Bloom, 38, was forced to return to London, but arrived in India the next day, and was seen posing at the Taj Mahal.

An External Affairs ministry spokesman said Bloom must have landed without the confirmation e-mail, or forgotten to check whether the visa was granted.

Bloom is best known for his roles in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. He also starred in Hollywood blockbuster films such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Troy, and Kingdom of Heaven.