GUWAHATI, May 3 - Lack of clarity on the issue of engaging �Monument Mitras� to maintain the tourism-related part of the Natural Parks and heritage sites has raised storms of protest here, with organisations and leading individuals up in arms against the Centre�s proposal.
However, the Union Government has stated in the �Invitation For Expression of Interest (EoI) for �Adopt-a-Heritage Project� that it has planned the �Adopt-a-Heritage� scheme with the vision of �developing heritage sites and making them tourist friendly to enhance their tourism-potential and cultural importance, in a planned and phased manner,� by involving the interested firms of the private, or public sector and individuals.
The Kaziranga National Park and its three Ahom-era monuments � Rang Ghar, Kareng Ghar and Shiva Doul � have been sought to be covered under this scheme.
The proposal was formulated by the Union Ministry of Tourism (MoT) in September 2017, and is sought to be implemented in close collaboration with the Ministry of Culture (MoC) and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
The MoT has invited expression of interest (EoI) from the interested private/public firms and individuals in the above document �for adopting heritage sites to provide, operate and maintain world class tourist facilities and amenities at the selected destinations.�
Explaining the purpose of the EoI, the document said, �This project will help in providing an inclusive tourist experience giving due recognition while preserving the rich and diverse heritage across the country. ASI as on date protects 3,686 ancient monuments and archaeological sites including 36 world heritage sites, giving a glimpse of the sheer richness, variety and diversity in India.
�These monuments form an integral part in promoting tourism by attracting domestic and international tourists in the country. To tap the true potential of these monuments, we need to provide basic and advanced amenities, illumination, night viewing facilities with safety and security to tourists, adaptive use of heritage site within permissible guidelines of ASI, and an overall enhanced tourist experience that will result in increase of domestic and foreign tourist footfalls,� it said.
It further said, �The project plans to entrust heritage sites and monuments for adoption to the private and public sector companies and individuals who would be known as �Heritage Mitras� for providing basic and advanced amenities and complete operations and maintenance initially for 5 years, after regular monitoring and feedback mechanism from all the stakeholders including tourists.�
Those responding to this invitation for EoI are to �conceptualise, design, install, provide and maintain the listed facilities for tourists at the selected monuments preferably under CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) initiatives, at no cost to the Government, user or to the visitors by making appropriate technical infrastructural and service interventions.�
The tourist amenities sought to be developed under the scheme are divided into two categories � basic and advanced. The representative list of basic amenities include � public convenience of international standards; clean drinking water facilities; Swachh Monument (cleanliness of the monument, including complete polythene ban); barrier-free monuments/accessibility for all � differently abled-friendly toilets, ramps, wheelchair facility, Braille signages, monument models; informatory and directional signages; Wi-Fi, audio guide app; cloak room, shoe-racks/covers, washing facility, etc; point of sale (PoS) terminal machines at the ticketing counters to promote cashless transactions; canteen (with souvenir shop promoting local art and craftsmanship).
The representative list of advanced amenities include � cafeteria, campus illumination and facilitation of night visits to monuments under adaptive use within permissible guidelines of ASI; advanced surveillance system (like PTZ-based CCTV cameras); tourist facilitation-cum-interpretation centre (Tourist Multi-Purpose Centre) with facilities like museum, shopping/souvenir shop, cloakroom, toilet, drinking water, money exchange, etc; digital interactive kiosk, digital (LED) screening; light and sound shows with regular cultural shows; battery-operated vehicles and advanced tourist flow management system linked with carrying capacity of the monuments.