Need to develop infrastructure, special facilities in tourist places

Rajiv Lochan Sah Editor, Nainital Samachar, Nainital

Uttarakhand is largely a tourism-driven economy. There are some world famous tourist towns such as Nainital and Mussoorie and some lesser known places that attract millions of people. A large number of pilgrims also visit Uttarakhand that is home to the holy Ganga, Char Dham, Hemkund Sahib and several other revered shrines. This ever increasing stream of people visiting tourist and pilgrimage places put a tremendous pressure on infrastructure and basic civic amenities that have not been improved in sync with the tourist and pilgrim footfall. This has created the issues of managing the influx of tourists and pilgrims in these places of attraction and reverence and how to keep the infrastructure intact. Could P. Baron have imagined in December 1842, when he floated the first boat in the Naini lake in Nainital, surrounded by densely forested uninhabited hills from three sides, that in the next 175 years these forests would be converted into a concrete jungle and roads would be jammed with automobiles? The Nainital lake shrunk so alarmingly this summer that there was worry all around. Since 1872, when the British started to keep records, the lake level had never gone so low.    

Local people not benefited 

Mushrooming of hotels and resorts in and around a few popular hill stations has not benefited local people who have been migrating to other states in search of employment opportunities. People are still engaged in not so remunerative agriculture or the service sector for their livelihood. Villagers have been leaving their hill villages and settling in towns situated in the foothills or in the plains of the state due to falling agriculture income and wild animals destroying their standing crops. The progressive tourism activity in the region has not benefited them and they do not find it as a viable alternative to agriculture. They have been deprived of an equitable distribution of the gains of economic and development activities in the tourism sector. 

Tourism is called an ‘industry without a chimney’. In Uttarakhand, where the nature has bequeathed its most glorious treasures in plentiful, tourism has immense potential indeed. It can contribute sizably to our economy and do wonders. But the problem is how to divert the unmanageable crowd from popular places cramped with tourists to lesser known places. The political leadership seems to lack vision and willpower to address the issue in the interest of the state.

MS Gill, a former Chief Election Commissioner of India, during an informal talk with me at Raj Bhavan in September 2000, asked me, “So, you are going to be a full-fledged state now. How do you see your future?” That was the time when Parliament had passed the Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Act and come November, we would be a state! People were eagerly waiting for that historical day. “Well sir, I am not certain, even afraid. After so much sacrifice, we are given the opportunity to shape our future. But there is not much talk about how we should tread forward. No vision, no leaders, nothing at all. This thing worries me,” I told him. “You are not going forward,” he said with obvious skepticism. “You will remain where you are. Till date your youths go to some distant metropolis to earn money. Now, people from other parts of India will come with loads of money in their deep pockets and will make you do petty jobs in your state. Remember me”. His words are true in the present context. 

Ecotourism and home stay

Things could have been better had the government encouraged ecotourism in its true spirit. Ecotourism doesn't mean luxurious resorts in the wild or in the vicinity of sanctuaries such as the Jim Corbett National Park. Instead it offers tourists coming from other parts of the country a feeling of how people in Uttarakhand live, what they eat and what are their traditions. They learn about the local lifestyle. They may prefer to stay at well developed hill stations such as Nainital and Mussoorie but then they should be motivated to proceed to the countryside. As practised in Switzerland, villagers in Uttarakhand could add a room or more to their houses and keep these neat and tidy. A modern water closet is a must. Tourists travelling around will have the option of staying in villages away from the hustle and bustle of the busy hill towns. Good stay facilities and mouthwatering local food will give them an ever cherishing experience of spending a night or two in a hill village in Uttarakhand hills. Besides eating, drinking and merrymaking, tourists should also be encouraged to understand the culture, practices and delicacies of the region they visit. Tourism, if not handled properly, can destroy not only the physical features but also traditions. Lessons in school textbooks on ‘How to visit a place’ will make our children aware about the concept of healthy tourism.

‘Home stay’ is a familiar concept in Europe. In Uttarakhand also, some pioneering work has been done. Malika Virdi along with villagers of Munsiyari in Pithoragarh district is doing the home stay business successfully. Several villagers are supplementing their income by providing ‘home stay’ facilities. The government should frame effective policies to promote home stay in hill villages. 

The government can make policies that give a common person a chance to work in the tourism industry and allow him all the facilities. Only when people’s outlook towards tourism changes that it will become a boon for Uttarakhand. Tourism with equitable benefits will put a brake on the exodus of people from hill villages. But at present, it is a wishful thinking.

Amenities at roadside dhabas

Many five or seven star hotels are not needed in hill stations. One or two such hotels in a town are enough. In the last four decades even modest hotels have improved their facilities considerably and are comfortable also for foreigners. The government should, through its corporations, develop basic facilities. For example, every 5 km to 10 km on any route, there are roadside dhabas but these are devoid of basic facilities such as toilets. This is embarrassing especially for women. The government should step in to encourage these dhaba owners and eating outlets to create basic facilities. Many hill stations, especially in Kumaon, are not well connected by rail. A weekly or bi-weekly train to and fro south Indian cities such as Chennai, Bengaluru or Hyderabad will do a lot of good to tourism in this area. Bigger players in the hospitality business can afford to employ qualified manpower. But even small hotels in hill stations and pilgrimage centres provide employment in a large number to villagers of nearby areas. They are honest, polite and hard working people but lack in basic training. The Department of Tourism in association with the hotel industry should organise training programmes and crash courses for such workers. Even taxi drivers and tourist guides need training so that they may not misguide tourists. I remember a guide who when asked why Kausani is so popular had innocently replied, “Mahatma Gandhi went there for his honeymoon”. 

Check harassment of tourists

The government and the local administration should encourage tourism and act swiftly and sternly in cases of overcharging and harassment of tourists. It is a common complaint everywhere during the peak tourist season. Parking is another issue where the government should step in. Too many vehicles these days are destroying the calm serenity of hill stations. Their number needs to be regulated and proper parking facilities should be provided. 

The biggest problem of Nainital city is parking facilities. During the peak season in May and June, long traffic jams are witnessed on the roads to the city and even internal roads remain clogged. Parking facilities can be developed in vacant places nearby the city and tourists encouraged to either walk up to hotels or use local transport. There is also need to develop means of entertainment in the city, especially for children who accompany their parents.

Incentives 

There is need for more incentives for stakeholders in the tourism industry to improve quality of service. There is five-year exemption from luxury tax and easy finances and subsidies under the Chandra Singh Garhwali scheme to new hotels or motels for creating facilities at tourist places. There is a well-developed network of taxi operators in Nainital but drivers and tourist guides can be trained to avoid inconvenience and harassment to tourists.

Trained manpower

The dire need of trained and qualified manpower is felt during the peak tourist season. The Tourism Department has launched the scheme “Hunar se Rojgar” (Employment through skill) to train the manpower employed in hotels and restaurants. Under the scheme, village youths are taught cooking and mannerism to serve tourists the best way. But the initiative is not enough to meet the shortage of trained manpower required in the industry.

There is also need to set up special medical facilities and police teams for tourists in Nainital and other places. This will take care of the anxieties of tourists during emergencies and make them feel safe and comfortable. At present tourists avail of the medical facilities available to local people.