Madhya Pradesh will be developed as a hub of water tourism: CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Hanuwantiya: Madhya Pradesh will be developed as a hub of water tourism and more islands in the backwaters of the Narmada river will be developed, which will be together called Madhya Dweep, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said.

He inaugurated a two-and-a-half-month-long water carnival on Sunday which will be held till January 2 at Hanuwantiya Island in the backwaters of Indira Sagar Dam in Khandwa district of the state.

Chouhan also flagged off a boat race as part of the festival.

“When I became the chief minister, the initial focus was on water, electricity and roads. Increasing agriculture productivity was another major area of focus,” the chief minister said.

“But later, during a visit to Sentosa in Singapore the idea of developing similar tourist places in Madhya Pradesh occurred. After this, Indira Sagar dam was identified for the purpose. It took us eight years to develop Hanuwantiya Island,” he said.

In the next five years, this region will be on the top in the country in terms of tourism, Chouhan said.

Infrastructure will be developed in Madhya Dweep and other parts of the state and private players will be given opportunity to operate various activities, hotels and services, he said.

“In Kerala, houseboats are running in dirty waters. Still, tourists stay there for days. But in Madhya Pradesh, water of the Narmada river is clean and pure and with houseboats on them, tourists will flock here,” Chouhan said.

Besides Hanuwantiya, areas around Gandhi Sagar dam, Bargi dam and lakes in state capital Bhopal will be developed as water tourism destinations.

The state government is also celebrating Paryatan Parva (Tourism Festival) from Monday till October 25.

It is working on developing heritage and religious tourism too. This region, from here till Ujjain via Omkareshwar, will be developed as a religious tourism circuit.

The chief minister applauded the Tourism Board and the State Tourism Development Corporation for bagging 10 national tourism awards this year.