Glorious Gujarat beckons travellers from far and wide - Hindustan Times
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Glorious Gujarat beckons travellers from far and wide

Published on Sep 30, 2022 10:07 AM IST

Since January 2022, many new tourist attractions have opened across Gujarat, making it a traveller's paradise

The Fossil Park and Museum is a must-see attraction for visitors of all ages.
The Fossil Park and Museum is a must-see attraction for visitors of all ages.
ByHT Brand Studio

Gujarat is a wonder in disguise for tourists and is known for its many exotic destinations. One can visit the thick forests of Gir, ancient temples at Dwarka and Somnath, historical places of Lothal and Modhera, salt marshes at Kutch and more. The state is home to numerous ancient city ruins, palaces, forts, and tombs that proudly bear witness to the golden era of dynasties.

In Gujarat, one can see massive forts, charming havelis, stunning stepwells and other historical sites that showcase some of the relics of the land. The state is highly diversified in nature with some of the famous heritage, adventure and eco-tourism destinations behaving as an ideal all-rounder.

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Many new tourist attractions have opened across the state since January 2022, making Gujarat a traveller’s paradise.

Phase-2 of India’s first dinosaur museum inaugurated at Balasinor

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated the country’s first and world’s third fossil park Dinosaur Museum Phase-2 constructed at the cost of 16.50 crore by Gujarat Tourism Corporation in Raiyoli of Mahisagar district.

The Fossil Park and Museum is a must-see attraction for visitors of all ages. The museum, which opened its first phase in 2019, includes a 5-D theatre, a digital forest, 360-degree virtual reality, an experiment laboratory, a semi-circulation project, 3D projection mapping and holograms, and other attractions.

Around 40 dinosaur sculptures are on display in the museum, which provides accurate information on their size, shape, habits and residential area. ‘Dino Fun’ has also been created here for the entertainment of children.

Besides serving as a place for infotainment, the place is also intended to attract experts from archaeology and other fields who are interested in working on the emergence and extinction of dinosaurs. The park is open to the public from 10 am to 5 pm. It’s closed on every Monday.

With the establishment of the world’s third and India’s first dinosaur fossil park, the State Government has etched Raiyoli on the fossil research map. The Dinosaur Fossil Park, showcasing nearly 65 million years of dinosaur history, will be Gujarat’s second wonder after the ‘Statue of Unity’.

Nadabet, part of Seema Darshan project, boosts border-tourism

Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated an Indo-Pakistan border viewing point in Nadabet, Gujarat, about 188km from Ahmedabad.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated an Indo-Pakistan border viewing point in Nadabet, Gujarat, about 188km from Ahmedabad.

As part of the Seema Darshan project, Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated an Indo-Pakistan border viewing point in Nadabet, Gujarat, about 188km from Ahmedabad, on April 10, this year.

The new tourist destination, also known as the ‘Wagah of Gujarat,’ is located in the Rann of Kutch region and is connected by a narrow bitumen road that cuts across mudflats that flood during high tide.

Shri Purneshbhai Modi, Tourism Minister, Department of Tourism
Shri Purneshbhai Modi, Tourism Minister, Department of Tourism

The most appealing aspect of the Seema Darshan project is the opportunity for civilians to view the fenced international border with Pakistan at ‘Zero Point’. The Border Security Force (BSF) patrols this area in Banaskantha district round the clock.

The Seema Darshan project is a joint initiative of the state government’s tourism department and the BSF Gujarat Frontier, with the goal of developing border-tourism in a region with a sparse population and even sparser vegetation.

“It is a matter of great pride for Gujarat that many projects of ‘Border Tourism’ have been unveiled at the Indo-Pak International Border. The border viewing point in Nadabet, as part of the Seema Darshan project, is one such initiative. Visitors can view the fenced international border with Pakistan at ‘Zero Point’, which is located in Nadabet, also known as the ‘Wagah of Gujarat’. The BSF conducts a parade, similar to the one held at Attari-Wagah border in Punjab, every evening in an open-air auditorium,” Shri Purneshbhai Modi, Tourism Minister, Department of Tourism, said.

The parade takes place in an open-air auditorium with seating for 5,000 people. This auditorium is located at a T-junction 30km from the border. Apart from a retreat ceremony, the place offers adventure sports such as rock climbing, rappelling, rifle shooting, ziplining, and other activities.

While the majority of the attractions, developed as part of the Rs125 crore Seema Darshan project, are located at the T-junction, visitors can obtain special permission to view the border located at Zero Point, approximately 25km north of the T-junction. A bus service to transport tourists to the ‘Zero Point’ has now been flagged-off. A high watchtower has been built at the ‘Zero Point’, providing visitors with a view into Pakistani territory.

“At Nadabet, visitors not only get to see the border, but the exhibits spread the patriotic fervour and instil a feeling of pride towards one’s motherland. Thus, Nadabet has become a confluence of nationalist pilgrimage, tourism and patriotism,” Modi said.

Enjoy Nature’s Bounty at Shivrajpur Beach

The development of Shivrajpur Beach by the Department of Tourism meets the global ‘Blue Flag’ standards while also considering tourist safety.
The development of Shivrajpur Beach by the Department of Tourism meets the global ‘Blue Flag’ standards while also considering tourist safety.

Just 15 minutes north of the Rukmani temple near Dwarka, lie long and clean Shivrajpur Beach. The white sand, turquoise waters make the beach ideal for long walks. It is an ideal tourist destination to enjoy with family and friends.

The development of Shivrajpur Beach by the Department of Tourism meets the global ‘Blue Flag’ standards while also considering tourist safety. It is far from industrial sites and megacities, which makes it and the local environment clean. It also boasts of “excellent water quality”.

Shri Arvindbhai Raiyani, Minister of State, Department of Tourism
Shri Arvindbhai Raiyani, Minister of State, Department of Tourism

According to Shri Arvindbhai Raiyani, Minister of State, Department of Tourism, with its cultural splendour and rich historical heritage, Gujarat is flourishing in the tourism sector. The State Government is constantly striving to present this glorious heritage to the world.

“We are trying to connect those going for Rann Utsav to Dholavira, allowing them to stay and experience the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Master Plan is being developed to make it a world-class site. It’s a home to Shivrajpur Beach, which is being developed as a major tourist attraction,” Raiyani said.

Recently, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inspected Phase-1 of the project in Shivrajpur worth Rs23.43 crore (approx.), which includes Arrival Plaza, Cycle Track, Promenade, Path-way, Drinking Water, Toilet Block Facility, and other amenities. Almost,60% of the works has been completed in Phase-1.

The Department of Tourism has allocated Rs40 crore to the Roads and Building Department for the construction of this road. Almost 50% of the road construction work has been completed.

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