CHIEF MINISTER Vijay Rupani on Thursday laid the foundation stone for restoration, development and conservation of the historic Uparkot Fort complex to be undertaken at the cost of Rs 44.46 crore. The project will be completed in 18 months, according to a government press release.
Rupani unveiled an e-plaque of the project through video-conferencing from Gandhinagar in the presence of tourism minister Jawahar Chavda, while BJP MLA from Keshod, Deva Malam, Junagadh Municipal Corporation corporator Shashikant Bhimani and Junagadh district collector Sourabh Pardhi, Junagadh municipal commissioner Tushar Sumera and officers of the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat (TCGL) physically laid the ceremonial foundation stone at the Uparkot Fort complex in Junagadh.
Rupani said that tourism sector provides a range of employment opportunities and that Gujarat will emerge as a hub of tourism after overcoming challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The Uparkot For complex is a historical heritage. We shall restore it, conserve it and protect it. I am confident, Gujarat will win the war against coronavirus and the pace of development of Gujarat will neither slow down nor stop. The historical monuments of Junagadh, the Mount Girnar, Sasan, Gir Somnath and the seacoast will be connected and emerge a major tourism circuit. Tourism is the sector providing lots of employment opportunities and the sector has grown significantly over the past two years,” an official release quoted the CM as saying.
Rupani further said that ropeway project on Mount Girnar would be completed soon and once it becomes operational, it will give a big boost to tourism industry in Junagadh district.
The Junagadh Fort complex includes, among other structures, the central dome called Ranakdevino Mahal , Buddhist caves, two step-wells named Adikadi Vav and Navghan Kuvo, a giant granary, an armoury, the main entry gate etc.
There are shrines inside the complex and people of various faiths offer prayers there. The collector said that their focus presently is on restoring the complex. “We shall look into that issue at a later stage,” Pardhi told The Indian Express.
As part of the restoration and development project, the TCGL will also develop a walkway along the fort complex and make arrangements for light-and-sound-show.