Jaipur, July 19. Chief Minister Smt. Vasundhara Raje has directed that a time-bound development plan for conservation, maintenance and management of the buildings and heritage of historical and archeological importance should be prepared, so that these memorials could continue to attract more tourists and educate scholars.
Smt. Raje was addressing a meeting in regard to management and conservation of historical buildings and heritage conservation at the Chief Minister Office on Saturday. She asked for management and conservation of these buildings in such a manner that these places could become economically self-sustainable from the income received by increased footfall of tourists.

The Chief Minister suggested that the districts should compete with each other in arranging tourism-related activities so that the number of foreign and domestic visitors could go up at their respective tourist centres. She further asked for a list of Dak Bungalows of Public Works Department, Inspection Bungalows and Rest Houses of Irrigation and Forest departments which could be renovated and let out to private tourists for a fee.

Talking about the havelis in Shekhawati region, Smt. Raje said that these buildings are masterpieces in architecture and witnesses to our great history. Some of these havelis are under private ownership, but the tourism department should still involve the owners in a conservation plan for these buildings, she added. Then, these too would attract tourists, she said.

The Chief Minister further asked for special attention towards upkeep of the monuments in Jaipur and directed the officials to complete the Amber Fort Management Plan at the earliest. Maintenance and renovation works at Sujanganga, the museum in Bharatpur and Muchkund Van Vihar and Talaab-e-shahi in Dholpur were discussed in the meeting in detail. It was suggested to manage facilities at Muchkund Van Vihar in Dholpur in public-private-partnership mode on the lines of Taalchhapar Wildlife Sanctuary. The forest department is being asked to submit an action plan on this at the earliest.

Renovation and beautification of Ravindra Rangmanch and Albert Hall and regulating haphazard construction around the Amber Fort were also discussed in the meeting. Heritage Conservationist Ms. Malavika Singh, member of the Chief Minister’s Advisory Board Smt. Meera Mehrishi, Principal Secretary Finance Shri Subhash Garg, Principal Secretary Tourism Shri S.K. Agarwal and the Directors of Tourism and Archeology departments were also present in the meeting.