The Cooch Behar palace which will be lighted up by the Bengal tourism department to attract more visitors. The palace will also sport toy cars in its adjacent park. (Main Uddin Chisti)

Cooch Behar, Aug. 8: The stately palace that once belonged to the erstwhile princes of Cooch Behar and is now under the direct upkeep of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will be illuminated by the Bengal tourism department.

Tourism minister Manab Mukherjee said today that a modern lighting system would be put in place so that the palace here could be illuminated in the evenings. “We are also going to introduce toy cars in the park adjacent to the palace and take up some beautification works to attract more people. We are only waiting for the ASI permission,” he said here after meeting a few officials.

District magistrate Rajesh Kumar Sinha said the lights and the other works would cost about Rs 60 lakh. Mukherjee said besides the lighting, the conversion of Victor Palace into a tourist lodge would also be completed by winter.