Bhuj, 13 March 2012

Every year during Rann Utsav, 80% tourists prefer to skip Narayan Sarovar, Mandvi, Lakhpat and other places of tourist interest, just to select an optional package tour to Indo/Pak border in Rann of Kutch.

Responding to such tremendous response, the state government has now initiated some infrastructural works to serve the tourists in border area of Rann of Kutch, which is controlled by Border Security Force(BSF).

According to district planning officer BJ Thakkar, a war memorial near Dharmshala chowky is planned and it will be activated by September 2012, just before next Rann utsav. A war memorial to be constructed at a cost of Rs 75 lakh will feature names of those martyred during 1971 war. It will also have an exhibition of weapons used in 1971 war. Tourists will have a place to halt here before reaching the actual border at Vighokot.

Shri Thakkar added that a tourist information centre will be built near Vighokot at a cost of Rs 20 lakh.

He said a facility of drinking water and WC block will be set up near India bridge.

It should be mentioned here that, for a normal citizen, journey beyond India Bridge(which is next to Khavda) is not allowed without BSF permission. However during annual Rann Utsav which takes place in December, mass permits are issued, and few thousand visitors visit the border under restricted tours operated by the Gujarat Tourism.

Earlier, taking picture was not allowed at the international border, but now the Gujarat Tourism keeps a camera person who click the photographs of tourists at border and deliver them next day in Dhordo tent city. The tourists now also get certificate of their visit to border by the BSF.

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