Gandhinagar, Feb 27 (PTI) Scuba diving by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has put Dwarka on the world map which will boost tourism, state minister Harsh Sanghavi told the assembly on Tuesday.
He said Dwarka became the highest searched word on Google because people interested in adventure, religion and culture are curious to know about this place.
The prime minister enjoyed scuba diving off the Panchkui beach near Dwarka on February 25. He had said that praying in the submerged city of Dwarka was a “very divine experience”.
Scuba diving is conducted off the coast of Dwarka where people can see the underwater remains of the ancient town associated with Lord Krishna.
“Following the PM’s visit, the hotel and tourism industry in Dwarka is set to experience a boom as people from across the world are curious to know about the importance of Dwarka. They are seeking details about this holy city from Google,” Sanghavi said.
In the coming days, rooms will not be available for people visiting Dwarka.
“The number of rooms available in Dwarka under the home-stay scheme will go up from the current 7,000. In coming days, even 14,000 homestay rooms will fall short to cater to the rising demand,” said Sanghavi, who handles Sports, Youth and Cultural Activities, and Transport departments.
Due to scuba diving by Modi, people from various states in India as well as from different parts of the world learned about the submerged city of Dwarka and its cultural significance, Sanghavi said. He said the real estate sector in Dwarka will also witness a boom and appealed to local residents not to sell off their land or houses now but to wait for price appreciation.
“After the PM’s visit, Dwarka became the highest searched word on Google because people having interests in adventure, religion and culture are curious to know about the place. Hotel owners told me that even home-stay occupancy would remain at 90 to 100 per cent throughout the year. I thank the PM on behalf of the people of Gujarat,” the minister said.
Before diving into the sea, Modi had inaugurated ‘Sudarshan Setu’, the country’s longest cable-stayed bridge connecting Beyt Dwarka island to mainland Okha in Gujarat’s Devbhumi Dwarka district.
“The prime minister granted real freedom to the people of Beyt Dwarka after 75 years of Independence as residents were dependent on boat service to reach the mainland all these years,” he said referring to the inauguration of the bridge.
On the occasion, Sanghavi announced four new routes of Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) to reach Beyt Dwarka from different parts of the state.
He also announced the commencement of an hourly shuttle bus service between Dwarka and Beyt Dwarka from 5 am to late night for the to and fro travel.
Sanghavi added that his department has urged the Revenue Department to allot land on Beyt Dwarka to build a bus depot. PTI PJT NSK
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