Gangtok, Jan. 2: The New Year brings good news for Sikkim as the Union ministry has lined up several booties to boost tourism in the hill state.

The central tourism department has announced four new projects for Sikkim, said Alok K. Shrivastava, the commissioner-cum-secretary of tourism. He told The Telegraph that the Union ministry has sanctioned a sum of Rs 3.4 crore for the setting up of a recreation-cum-amusement park at the Ipecac Garden in Saramsa, a favourite getaway for residents here.

A long-nurtured dream of Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling, the project will include beautification of the banks of the Rani khola and also construction of a bridge over the stream. It will be a “futuristic” bridge with a cafeteria and a view-point located on it, Shrivastava said.

Another project sanctioned by the Centre is the setting up of a religious circuit development programme at Soreng in West Sikkim at a cost of Rs 4.98 crore. “It will include a guest house, a manelakhang (monastery), a tourist trekking trail and a picnic spot,” the tourism commissioner-cum-secretary said.

Rangpo, the first town a visitor comes across while entering Sikkim, will also get a recreation park, which will be built at a cost of Rs 36 lakh. “A ‘welcome gesture’ to tourists, the park is going to be an ideal picnic spot, complete with a picturesque waterfront,” Shrivastava said.

The Union ministry has also given the nod for the development of a new trekking trail from Hee Patal to Chiwabhanjyang in West Sikkim.

Just when the festive season seemed to be over, Sikkim has a few more fests lined up for its people this month. An effort to boost tourism in the cold season, the Gangtok Winter Fest will start on January 8. After that, the weeklong Maghe Sankranti mela will be held at Jorethang in South Sikkim from January 14, to be followed by the Mangan music and tourism festival in North Sikkim at the end of January.