planSukanya MohapatraAhmedabad, Jan 14 (PTI) The Gujarat government'sambitious border tourism project, the "Seema Darshan", is setto get an upgrade.
Gujarat Tourism Director Jenu Devan told PTI here thatthe government planned to build facilities like an exhibitioncentre and parking arrangement there with an aim to attractaround 10,000 vistors every day.
"Border tourism or "Seema Darshan" was introduced lastyear and till now over a lakh tourists have already visited.
We plan to build an exhibition centre that will depict thehistory and role of the security forces in the area.
Facilities like parking, toilets and refreshment outlets willbe constructed so as to make the visit comfortable," Devaninformed.
He added that a sum of Rs 25 crore had been approvedfor the current fiscal by the state government.
"Seema Darshan" is carried out at the border at Suigamoutpost in Banaskantha district with visitors being taken fromJaloya village to Nedabet Point where Border Security Force(BSF) personnel tell them about the history of the area andthe role it played during the 1971 war with Pakistan.
One of the highlights planned, he said, is a "Beatingthe Retreat" ceremony on the lines of the world-famous one atthe Indo-Pak border at Wagah.
The ceremony at the Wagah border attracts thousands ofpeople where security personnel, currently from the BSF, haveceremonially carried out the "lowering of the flags" every daysince 1959.
Border tourism on similar lines to Gujarat's "SeemaDarshan" is also held at the Hussainiwala border in Punjab'sFerozepur. PTI SMBNM.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.