By Khelen Thokchom
Imphal, Oct 13 : Sendra, a small hillock overlooking Loktak lake in Manipur’s Bishnupur district, will soon boast of a swanky tourist lodge of international standards.
This is part of the Okram Ibobi Singh government’s plan to boost tourism in the state and the Union tourism ministry has agreed to construct the lodge at a cost of Rs 2 crore.
“Though many visitors, mostly foreigners, visit Sendra, the existing home is not suitable for foreign tourists. So the government has taken up the plan to construct a tourist lodge of international standard so that foreign visitors can spend the night there and enjoy the scenic beauty of the lake,” an official source said.
He said the chief minister had instructed officials of the tourism department to take up the project on a priority basis. However, the government is yet to select a firm for handing over the construction of the lodge.
Sendra is as popular a tourist spot as is the Indian National Army memorial complex at Moirang, which is located just half-a kilometre away. Visitors, particularly from Japan and England, regularly visit the memorial complex to pay homage to their forefathers who lost their lives in Manipur during World War II. Moirang is the first place in India where Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s INA soldiers hoisted their flag during the war.
Sendra, located 48km from Imphal city on Tiddim road, is one of the main destinations for foreign and domestic dignitaries as it gives a bird’s-eye view of the largest fresh water lake in the Northeast. Work on cleaning the lake of phumdi (floating bio-mass) is also in full swing as part of the tourism project.
Tourist flow to Sendra had slowed down over the past few years after security forces opened a post on the hillock to keep vigil on the lake. The army post has now been shifted to the foothills of the hillock. The source said this would help tourism as visitors could do away with security concerns.
The government also plans to develop eco-tourism parks and water sport once the lake is cleared of phumdi by March 2012 as scheduled.
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