States » EastPosted at: Oct 2 2026 12:07AM


Centre to back West Bengal govt bid to emerge as "crown jewel of East" in tourism: Shekhawat

Kolkata, Oct 1 (UNI) West Bengal is exploring seaplane services at Digha and the Sundarbans, a tiger safari at Jharkhali and a major expansion of river tourism, with the Centre promising full support to position the state as the “crown jewel of the East” in tourism, union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said today.
The state is also pursuing tourism projects worth Rs 12,634 crore, including hotels and resorts under the public-private partnership (PPP) model, development of thermal springs at Bakreshwar and restoration of heritage properties, Tourism Minister Shankar Ghosh said.
Assuring the state of central assistance, Shekhawat said West Bengal had considerable untapped tourism potential, given its geographical location and connectivity.
“The Centre will extend all support to West Bengal to get developed as the crown jewel of the East in terms of tourism. We will give support and have already received a host of interest proposals from the state. The state is excellent in terms of location and connectivity and a lot can be done here to exploit the true potential of tourism,” he said at the Indian Chamber of Commerce’s Hospitality and Tourism Summit 2026 at Taj Bengal.
Ghosh said the proposed projects had been placed before a Group of Ministers of the union government, with the objectives of attracting international visitors, generating foreign exchange, creating employment and augmenting state revenue.
“We are actively pursuing the development of water aerodromes at Digha and in the Sundarbans. However, we are equally conscious that the fragile ecosystem of these destinations must not be compromised,” Ghosh told The Statesman on the sidelines of the summit.
The state is also in discussions with the Forest Department to develop a tiger safari park at Jharkhali in the Sundarbans, which already houses a tiger rescue and rehabilitation facility.
“We already have a tiger safari park in Siliguri. One tigress will be released in the forests of Buxa on October 2. However, we also want to develop a tiger safari park on the lines of the one in Siliguri at Jharkhali, which already has a tiger rescue and rehabilitation centre,” Ghosh said.
The government has earmarked 100 acres at Jharkhali and 25 acres at Piyali for hotels and resorts under the PPP model. A similar development model is being considered for the thermal springs at Bakreshwar in Birbhum district.
A comprehensive blueprint for river tourism is also being prepared with technical assistance from IIT Kharagpur, including a detailed project report for eight to 10 modern jetties along riverfront stretches.
The proposed facilities will include electric vehicle charging infrastructure, while Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) is expected to manufacture hybrid vessels for river and Sundarbans cruises.
The plans also include additional entry points to the Sundarbans, parking infrastructure and electric vehicle-based tourist amenities to improve access and movement within key destinations.
On heritage tourism, Ghosh cited the Denmark Tavern in Serampore as an example of the state's efforts to restore and adaptively reuse historic properties.
The Registry Building in Chandannagore is also being considered for heritage development, with a memorandum of understanding signed with the Archaeological Survey of India. A dedicated heritage cell is proposed under the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation Limited (WBTDCL), while a policy to facilitate the development of heritage properties through PPP arrangements is expected shortly.
The state is also looking to expand amusement and theme park infrastructure beyond Kolkata's Nicco Park, with proposed facilities in Siliguri and Barrackpore. A marine aquarium is also likely to come up at Digha. UNI SEN NST
Tags: #Centre to back West Bengal govt bid to emerge as "crown jewel of East" in tourism: Shekhawat
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