Gujarat government has taken up tourism development project at state’s only hill station Saputara in a big way, the Tourism minister Shri Jaynarayan Vyas told media persons on the sideline of Tourism and Aviation related seminar in Ahmedabad on Monday.

Shri Vyas said the government is developing a new rock-filled water body in a style of lake which would be twice the size of present lake on the hill station. “Even present lake has been deepened a meter more for extra capacity of water storage.”

“There was a problem of setting up a sub station due to forest department rules, but now the problem has been solved and soon a new sub station will be set up to ensure continuous power supply at the hill station,” the minister added.

The minister also said that plots are now open for auction in Saputara and advertisement in this regard has been released. “One can set up a restaurant, or build hotel or other entertainment infrastructure on the plot.”

Tender for houseboat facility in Saputara lake is already in process. The hill station is in process to get face lift with huge budget that the tourism department has allocated.

According to Tourism Secretary Vipul Mitra, “the entire process will take one and half to two years period to complete.”

“But then you would find a completely new hill station at Saputara,” Mitra adds.

It is learnt that the government is developing Saputara hill station as perfect honeymoon destination of entire western Indian region. When things are in place, it is likely that Gujarat Tourism Brand Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan will come to Saputara for promotional ad shoot.

It should be mentioned here that Saputara is located on Gujarat/Maharashtra border. It is located on route that connects Gujarat and Shirdi. Saputara is part of southern Gujarat’s tribal Dang district.