Tourism spots in Keonjhar are all set to get a new lease of life with the Tourism Department deciding to construct tourist amenities and upgrade facilities.
The department targets Tarini temple, Sanaghagara waterfall and Gundichaghai waterfall in the district for its plan. It has allotted `2.8 crore in this fiscal and the work would be monitored by Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC).
While at Sanaghagara waterfall, tourist infrastructure like parking lots, stone benches, foot-bridge, a main entrance gate and landscaping would be done, a public convenience centre and a tourist reception centre will be built at Ghatgaon.
Similarly, pathways and parking lots will be constructed and landscaping done at Gundichaghai waterfall, 65 km from Keonjhar. The waterfall is about 50 ft high on the river Mudala. Large number of tourists and pilgrims visit the Tarini temple and Sanaghagara waterfall annually. However, while Tarini temple has all required amenities for the visitors, the waterfall site lacks those.
Sources said the Sanaghagara Development Committee is annually generating a revenue of `10 lakh from tourist visit and the amount is used to take up maintenance and beautification works at the site.
Even as the local administration had proposed to take up peripheral development work at Sanaghagara like building lavatories and rest sheds, it could not materialise.
Sources in the Tourism Department said earlier a budget of around Rs 1 crore was earmarked for developing tourism amenities at Sanaghagara and tenders were floated. The OTDC recently finalised the tender and directed the agency to go ahead with work. An additional Rs 1.59 crore has been sanctioned for the waterfall.
