Almora to get Uttarakhand’s second ISBT
Almora: Chief minister Harish Rawat on Friday laid the foundation stone for Uttarakhand’s second Inter-State Bus Terminus at Lower Mall Road area in Almora. The project is estimated to cost around Rs.17 crore. It will be the second ISBT after Dehradun. Once completed, it will boost tourism for the entire Kumaon region.
State department officials say the Almora ISBT will be among 12 other upcoming projects worth an estimated Rs 3,897 crore, for which foundation stones were in the process of being laid and projects inaugurated at Almora.
Rawat, who is on a two-day trip to Kumaon, is also expected to announce a series of other measures to boost development at different places in Almora district.
Addressing a well-attended gathering at Laxmeshwar locality, situated in the heart of the Almora town, on Friday, Rawat said state government would release an amount of about Rs 2 crore for the construction of ISBT’s first phase within at the earliest. “As this will be second ISBT at Almora after Dehradun, we will ensure that process of construction begins soon after the money meant for the purpose if released,” said Rawat.
Rawat, who flew to Kumaon region to conduct an on-the-spot survey of different tourist destinations including Almora, Nainital, announced that state government would upgrade bus stands equipping them with modern facilities to aide tourists and other visitors.
“As the exercise aims at attracting maximum tourists to the Kumaon region, which is known as a tourist hub, we will not only give a face-lift to these bus stands but also fully upgrade them within a couple of months”, said a senior manager of Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam.
Giving details about other upcoming development projects worth Rs 3,897 crore for which foundation stones were laid on Friday, Rawat said in order to boost development in Almora and nearby Pithoragarh and Bageshwar districts, a 28-km road connecting Hawasingh and Basoli ,Almora-Pithoragarh, and four other roads connecting Almora, Pithoragarh and Bageswar would be be built within a stipulated time.
