Bhubaneswar: In a major step towards tourist facilitation in the State, Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra directed to “ensure proper upkeep and maintenance of the wayside amenity centers (WACs), and make those more homely for the tourists”. Mahapatra reviewed the functioning of WACs during a meeting here on Wednesday.
About 84 WACs were constructed by side of different highways and important roads leading to tourist destinations. Around 35 such facilities were created by Tourism department and 49 were created by Works department.
Different ways and means of their professional management and upkeep were discussed in the meeting. It was decided in principle that the WACs would be operated through block and gram panchyat level women self help group (WSHG) federations. Civil maintenance, as and when necessary would be done by the respective property owing departments.
Mahapatra directed Mission Shakti department to train the WSHG members with necessary skill through professional institutions for running of the WACs. He said that “Professional running of the WACs while proving additional earning opportunities to the local people will also attract more tourists to these places”.
He advised to make available additional logistic facilities at WACs generally required by the travelers and tourists. The departments of Mission Shakti, Tourism and Works were asked to plan out the details for effective functioning of the WACs.
Mahapatra directed the departments of Rural Development and Works to locate and list out the scenic places by side of different roads leading to tourism sites and eco-spots.
It was decided to develop those places with interventions like a small parking place for 10 to 15 vehicles, toilets, sitting place etc so that the tourist could stop there for a while and enjoy the scenic beauty. “This would give a breathing break to the monotony of long travel, and make their trip more enjoyable”, said Mahapatra.
Principal Secretary Tourism Surendra Kumar, Principal Secretary Works Vir Vikram Yadav, Secretary Mission Shakti Sujata Kartikeyan, Director Tourism Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav along with senior officers of these departments participated.
