M.G. Marg in Gangtok. The shopping street in the heart of the town is being paved, with no vehicles permitted to enter it. Picture by Ashit Rai

Gangtok, Feb. 13: The Union ministry of tourism has chosen this hill town as one of 16 urban centres across the country to be developed as ideal tourist destinations under a new scheme.

Gangtok is the only place from the northeastern region to be included in the list of 16. Selection was on the basis of Sikkim’s past performance in the tourism sector.

“It is a matter of great pride for us to be chosen for this scheme. It is a major achievement for the state,” G.P. Upadhyaya, the commissioner-cum-secretary of the Sikkim tourism department, told The Telegraph today.

Upadhyaya added that under the scheme, the tourism ministry would pump in anything between Rs 25 and Rs 50 crore for the development of Gangtok. He said the money would be spent on building parks, gardens, fountains, green areas, shelters for people waiting for taxis, foot-bridges, escalators and other facilities. Other plans will also be taken up.

India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), which has been chosen as the consultant for the project, will first prepare a master plan through discussions with the state tourism department before submitting it to the ministry.

The funds will be released after that.

“ITDC will need two-three months to prepare the plan and we will take up the work from the beginning of the next financial year and finish it within 12 months,” Upadhyaya said. “We are already on the job and plan to make Gangtok a beautiful city with this assistance.”

Upadhyaya added that other departments, like urban development and housing and forest, wildlife and environment management, would also be involved in the project.

Sikkim has been performing well in the tourism index of the country and has bagged the award of best performing state in the Northeast five years running.