Rs 1500 crore projects for religious tourism okayed

NEW DELHI: The government has cleared projects worth over Rs 1,500 crore under three schemes Ramayana circuit, Krishna circuit and Buddhist circuit as part of its focus on religious tourism.

The projects helmed by the tourism ministry are spread primarily over UP, and Bihar and will develop infrastructure including road and rail linkages, signages, tourist facilitation centres, toilets, changing rooms near ghats, CCTV cameras, Wi-Fi facilities besides re-creating the life and times of the era.

Among the first projects to be started will be one on creating an audio visual experience in Ayodhya depicting the life and teachings of Lord Rama. The project also envisages a gallery theme that will have life size sculptures of Valmiki and Tulsidas.

The Buddhist circuit will have a light and sound theme park at Shravasti, UP. Lord Buddha is known to have spent 24 rainy seasons in the city's Jetavan monastery built by his disciple Sudatta Anathapindika. For the Krishna circuit spread over several cities including Mathura and Vrindavan, the ministry plans to create yatri sheds, food kiosks, sound and light show and illumination of the Parikrama path.