Imagine sitting in a mine cage and moving through a tunnel 300 metres deep to understand the coal excavation process. This will soon be a reality if the district administration’s plan to launch adventure tourism comes to fruition in Dhanbad.

A comprehensive plan to develop water sports facilities, resorts, and hotels at tourist attractions such as Maithon and Topchanchi lakes is also being readied.

Dhanbad mayor Chandrashekhar Agarwal was in Delhi along with Rajya Sabha MP Mahesh Poddar earlier this month to meet Union culture and tourism minister Prahlad Patel and sought his support to launch adventure tourism in coal mines and undertake the development of Maithon and Topchanchi lakes.

“We have submitted proposals on handing over of the old and unused underground mines to the district administration for the development of tourism facilities. The state government has also made budgetary provision for developing a coal museum in Dhanbad. Mine tourism will serve as an additional attraction for tourists visiting Dhanbad to witness the coal museum,” Agarwal said.

Maithon dam. (Gautam Dey)

The Dhanbad divisional forest department had drawn up a coal tourism plan more than a decade ago, but the project could not be launched owing to a lack of co-ordination between coal companies and forest department.

Sharing more details on the proposed tourism circuit in Dhanbad, Agarwal said: “Both Maithon and Topchanchi are hugely popular because of their scenic beauty and diverse flora and fauna. Development of water sports facilities at the lakes will help draw more tourists”.

He said floating restaurants and bird watching clubs were on the agenda.

“Some hotels can be set up at Maithon to develop it as the base from where tourists can visit other places like Bodh Gaya and Rajgir,” he added.

Agarwal said Topchanchi lake, which was developed by the British government way back in 1926 by tapping ten natural streams flowing out of the adjoining Parasnath hills, had potential to draw tourists due to presence of a large number of hillocks as well as a wildlife sanctuary in the surrounding areas.

“Topchanchi is also close to other popular tourism sites of Giridih such as Parasnath hills and Usri falls,” he added.