Joy ride: Selfie points, cafes along NE highways

NEW DELHI: Road travelling in India, especially in northeastern states dotted with landscaped vistas and picturesque locales — is set to become a pleasant experience as the ministry of tourism has started developing ‘vantage points’ along the national highways. The ministry has planned to create a ‘resting place’ for commuters at 100 selected locations in seven states in the northeastern region to promote tourism.

Union tourism and culture minister G Kishan Reddy, who also holds the portfolio of development of the North East Region (DoNER), said that the government will create amenities including restaurants, cafes, toilets and viewing decks; where the travellers could unwind and also take selfies from the alloted points. At an interaction held in Delhi recently, the Union tourism minister shared the status of various projects under his ministry and the future plans. 

“Usually while on road, people see something amazing like a beautiful view of the sunset or a lake, and they want to take a photograph or just take a break for a while before moving on to their journey, but can’t due to lack of facilities. So, our idea is to create such viewing points for tourists and travellers where they can eat and refresh themselves,” said the minister at the launch of ‘Best Tourism Village Competition Portal’, an initiative to appreciate efforts made to preserve natural and cultural resources in villages.  

“The sites will also have a dedicated space from where they can have breathtaking views and take photographs; selfies… The work has already begun at 40 locations in collaboration with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the ministry of development of the northeastern region (DoNER),” he added. Reddy further informed that the tourism and petroleum ministries had jointly decided to make provisions for clean toilets at petrol pumps located on highways across the states.

“We have spoken with petrol pump owners' associations. Petrol pumps abroad have neat and clean restrooms for travellers. We have already had a meeting with the associations. Other ministries and departments will be working together on various tourism projects,” he said. The ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) has been working on developing world-class wayside amenities. 

In March 2021, the ministry had announced plans to create facilities at more than 600 locations across 22 states in the next five years. As per the plan, different services including fuel stations, electric charging stations, food courts, retail shops, ATMs, toilets with shower facilities, playing areas and clinics are to be developed at a distance of every 40 km along the current and upcoming highways and expressways.

According to the MoRTH, 144 Wayside Amenities (WSAs) have already been awarded and 72 are under the bidding stage. 

‘Public convenience, ATMs every 40km’

In March 2021, the ministry of tourism had announced plans to create facilities at more than 600 locations across 22 states in the next five years. As per the plan, different services including fuel stations, electric charging stations, food courts, retail shops, ATMs, toilets with shower facilities, playing areas and clinics are to be developed at a distance of every 40 km along the current and upcoming highways and expressways.