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If all goes as planned by the tourism department, a budget of Rs 5 crore each will be sanctioned for renovation and beautification of the heritage Ramleela ground of Ramnagar and seven streets leading to Vindhyachal temple from main road in the 2014-15 budget of the department. 

Before this, the work for developing Narva Ghat at Gahmar (Ghazipur) -- considered as the central point of the Ganga between Gomukh and Gangasagar -- and Jagdam Rishi (father of Rishi Markandeya) Ashram as the tourist-cum-pilgrimage sites would be started. 

Moreover, the process of getting sanction for a project of more than Rs 21 crore for the betterment of facilities at Ganga ghats and in the vicinity of Kashi Vishwanath temple from the Central government is also expected to be complete within a fortnight. 

Regional tourism officer Ravindra Mishra told TOI on Wednesday, "In the 2013-14 financial year, the Centre sanctioned Rs 102 crore for tourism related projects in UP. Major share of this budget was given to this region. On the initiative of district magistrate Pranjal Yadav a proposal of over Rs 21 crores was forwarded to the Central ministry of tourism in May 2013." 

In this proposal, the tourism department had sought budget for improving lighting arrangements at the prominent ghats and streets in the vicinity of Kashi Vishwanath temple. 

Many other proposals like colouring of all ghat facing buildings in single colour, replacing wooden platforms of pandas by artistic marble platforms, arranging change and clock rooms and dustbins at the ghat steps were also proposed. Mishra said that the electricity department had to do project Rs 15.5 crore while the Varanasi Municipal Corporation had to handled rest of the work. 

But, as the electricity department and VMC did not prepare their proposals as per the prescribed norms of the ministry of tourism, it was returned with some objections. Mishra said that "the revised proposal was sent to the Central government again on December 5. 

After the DM contacted the officials of the ministry on Tuesday, hopes for getting the sanction for this project within a fortnight have been revived". Apart from erection of high mast and solar panel lighting system at the selected ghats like Dashaswamedh, Rajendra Prasad, Asi, Harishchandra and Rajghat, the lighting system would also improve in and around Kashi Vishwanath temple. The maze of wires in the vicinity of the temple would also be removed by ensuring underground cabling under this project. 

However, even after sanction the project would take more time to come on floor. 

Three other projects of tourism department are going to be started very soon. Mishra said that after issuance of GO, way has been paved for projects proposed for Narva Ghat in Ghazipur, Jagdam Rishi Ashram and Awadhoot Bhagwan Ram Ashram Padao. He said that funds for these three projects will be released by January end after which work would be started on floor. These sites attract pilgrims more than tourists. 

Mishra said that apart from other ongoing projects, the tourism department focused on signage installation for better guidance of pilgrims and tourists. "This work had been started with a budget of Rs 3.89 crore and 20 percent work had been completed so far," said Mishra adding, "the work on beautification of four martyr sites including the birthplace of Rani Laxmibai had also been completed this year." 

As the new financial year will start after three months, the tourism department has also geared up the process of preparing proposals for the preservation, renovation and beautification of other sites. 

Mishra said that the detailed project report for two projects, including of Ramnagar and Vindhyachal areas, had already been finalized. He said that the already approved proposal of creating ghat steps in the area between Asi and Ravidas Ghat will also be included in the proposal list of 2014-15 financial year.

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