Vast tourism potential in Assam

PART-I

Jatindra Nath Mahanta

(The writer can be reached at mahantajn12@gmail.com)

As per survey conducted by a UN commissioned agency in 2007-08, the employment generation potential in Tourism industry is 5 to 6 times higher than in manufacturing/production industry with same quantum of capital investment. This is true even today. Therefore, it stands to reason that for a state like Assam where avenues of development and employment potential are limited, tourism industry provides a welcome opportunity.

During the last few years, actions have been taken by the government of Assam and various district administrations in organizing and promoting festivals like Namami Brahmaputra, Advantage Assam etc. Priyanka Chopra has been appointed as the Tourism Ambassador of the state. Leaflets and brochures depicting Kamakhya Temple, Kaziranga National Park and other tourist destinations have been made and advertised. Tangible outcome of these efforts has not been analyzed nor published as yet and we are not aware of the end result of these actions.

The important actions, however, to be taken for attracting tourists are –

A) Infrastructure development: This includes -

1) Preservation/renovation/beautification of identified tourist locations/sites: The tourist sites in general are in need of extensive renovation and face lifting (Rong Ghar in Sivasagar looks presentable after the entire premises got a massive facelift in 2009-10 with support from ONGC). Additionally, facilities such as restrooms, vehicle parking, souvenir shops etc are required to be built at the tourist sites. These need to be provided by the Government and can be operated by local unemployed youths and Cooperative Societies.

2) Construction and improvement of roads to tourist sites: Most of the roads leading to the Tourist Sites are in very poor condition and needs to be upgraded. Responsibility needs to be taken by the State’s senior officers and the concerned Ministers to ensure quality work in constructing, resurfacing and widening the roads. To cite an example, Elephant Safari in Kaziranga could not be started after opening the National Park for visitors on October 11, 2018 because of poor condition of the route caused by floods. We must find a permanent solution to such perennial problems to enhance footfall to the most famous tourist attractions of the State. Recently, CM of Arunachal lamented that poor road communication is the culprit for slow growth of the tourism industry in his state. The principal Highways in Assam are in poor state. Improving road/rail/air connectivity is the government’s responsibility.

3) Setting up hotels/restaurants: Although the hospitality business can be taken up by Private sector/ Entrepreneurs, but in view of lower expectation in tourist footfall initially, entrepreneurs may not consider it prudent to make capital investment in hotels and restaurants. The Government may construct these and hand them over to the entrepreneurs on long term lease. At present, except in Guwahati and Kaziranga, good hotels and restaurants are not available. Of late, a few eateries and small hotels have come up in the major towns, but not all of these will meet with tourist’s demand for excellence. Basically, lack of volume discourages the owners/entrepreneurs to invest in setting up/improving and upgrading the facilities. Therefore, the State Government must extend a helping hand.

4) Extension and improvement in communication network: Poor communication network discourages many tourists to visit the state. It is in need of major extension for wider coverage. Responsibility for improvement and extension of the network lies with the corporate houses with push from the State and the Central Government.

5) Development of waterways/ river ports on the Brahmaputra / Barak and their tributaries :

Except for Guwahati, Pandu and Amingaon, the other Ports on the Brahmaputra need major renovation. A committee of technical experts can suggest the works needed to be carried out at Ports on the River Brahmaputra, Barak and some of the tributaries of the Brahmaputra / Barak. This will open up tremendous scope for luxury cruises and boat rides in these two principal and other minor rivers in the State. Responsibility of developing these ports will need to be owned by the government. Corporate houses may also chip in, since, over and above boosting tourism, the well-equipped ports will have commercial benefits in reduction of transportation cost of raw materials and finished products. From tourism point of view, the ports should have standard amenities for tourist, such as washroom, restroom, neat and clean restaurants and lodges.

There are around 50 good sized rivers in the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys where large mechanized/country boats can safely navigate. Till 1947, ships were being used by Assam Tea Company to transport machineries from Calcutta up to Nazira in Sivasagar district and tea cartoons from Nazira to Calcutta through Hoogli, Meghna, Brahmaputra and Dikhow rivers. Assam Oil Co used the river route from Calcutta to Dibrugarh for importing spare parts and machineries for Digboi Refinery for over seven decades. As recently as 1993, IOCL (Assam Oil Division) brought Kerosene from Kolkata to Badarpur in Cachar district in Barges via Bangladesh navigating through Hoogly, Padma, Meghna and Barak when road and rail links to Barak valley got cut off. During its construction period, in order to comply with the environment and forest clearance stipulations, Numaligarh Refinery Ltd brought heavy machineries from Kolkata/Guwahati in ships and barges via Brahmaputra and Dhansiri up to Numaligarh. Till 1962, Assam Steam Navigation Co was plying cargo ships from Kolkata to Pandu, Tezpur, Silghat, Neamati, Dibrugarh (till 1950).

The point intended to be emphasized here is the exciting prospect of using the waterways offered by the vast number of navigable rivers for attracting tourists. The tributaries of the Brahmaputra and Barak, can take large boats and rafts to some exotic interior locations not reachable by road or rail. There is huge untapped potential here. The State Government will need to carry out a detailed study through an expert Committee and then put up the necessary infrastructure including Ports at identified locations, resorts, boats/rafts/barges and Tourist Help Centers in these Ports. These rivers have not been charted for navigability which will need to be done by the experts in the field. It will be necessary to raise a dedicated team of Boatmen and Guides. If this is achieved, Assam will have hugely attractive packages to offer to the Tourists. It has the potential of changing the face of Tourism Industry in Assam. These river routes can connect Assam to a number of attractive locations in the neighbouring NE states too which will be an added benefit.

A news item on 23rd October issue of The Sentinel reveals that “Assam may lose a golden opportunity offered by the central government to bring about infrastructural developments in the state owing to slow responses from the various government departments. Under the newly launched North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS), 100 per cent funding is by the Centre to enable the NE States to go for massive infrastructure development within 2020. The funding is being charted through the DONER Ministry.” It also states that “if the Transformation and Development Department, the nodal department of the State for NESIDS, fails to submit the requisite proposals, Assam stands to lose a significant portion of its share of Rs.416 crore.” Only one project, worth Rs.77 crore, has been sanctioned under this scheme and 4 projects estimated to cost Rs.146 crores are under consideration. This means that Rs193 crore of funds will lapse if immediate action is not taken by the State Government.

It is suggested that the above project of Water Ways and River Ports with all modern facilities for attracting tourist can be taken up under NESIDS. It is a great opportunity to utilize the free fund to develop revenue earning infrastructure having a bright potential for employment of a large number of the unemployed youths of the state.

(To be continue)