JOY ROY CHOUDHURY – Kolkata
In tune with chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s vision to turnaround Dooars in North Bengal into an international-class destination, the department of tourism, Government of West Bengal has issued an ‘Expression of Interest’ inviting proposals from private partners to develop a mega tourism park at Gajoldoba. The project is visualised as a Mega Tourism Hub and proposed to be implemented on a public-private-partnership (PPP) mode.
Gajoldoba situated 25 kms from Siliguri is a picturesque tourist destination on Teesta Barrage, Jalpaiguri district adjacent to the Baikunthapur Forest. The project site is well connected with all other parts of the country. Tourism in Dooars is gaining importance because of its untapped potential to create employment for the tourism sector along with infrastructure development. IL&FS Infrastructure Development Corporation (IL&FS IDC), has been roped in as the consultant for the project. According to a senior IL&FS IDC official the project will include lake resorts, three-star category hotels, budget hotels, ayurvedic spa village, camping area, golf course, theme garden, cultural zone, hospitality training centre, picnic area/food court, children park and old age home. The scope of the bidder will include design, build, finance and operation of the project components for a pre-defined period of time.
