Goverdhan to be developed for international tourism

To tap the potential of Mathura as a tourist hub, the district administration has decided to develop religious town Goverdhan as an attraction for international tourists.

"We have decided to tap the tourism potential of Mathura. In the first phase, we would concentrate on Goverdhan which attracts a lot of tourists," District Magistrate Dinesh Chandra Shukla said.

The 21-km long 'parikrama' (pathway) around an old hill shrine of Goverdhan is one of the major tourist attractions here.

"Participation of international tourists in Goverdhan pooja and the 'Parikrama' during the last couple of years has increased which made us take the decision," Shukla said.

The district administration is planning to organise a light and sound program at Kusum Sarovar to boost the tourist inflow", Shukla said.

A meeting of the heads of three main temples, Tirtha Vikas Trust and Siddha Siddhant Academy along with the organizers of four Chhappan bhogs and other social organizations was called recently.

It was decided in the meeting that the path around the hill shrine will be maintained by the social organisations.

"Every volunteering society or organization would be allowed to maintain 1 km of the 'Parikrama' stretch. The cleanliness, the water supply, the power supply would be provided by them," ADM Prabhat Kumar Sharma said.