Ajanta roadwork lags as tourism chief reviews progress

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

The long-delayed roadwork on the Ajanta route remains incomplete despite years of sluggish progress. Director General of the Ministry of Tourism Mugdha Sinha personally inspected the ongoing construction and acknowledged the slow pace of work on Sunday.

Sinha emphasized that transforming Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar into a premier tourism hub requires urgent improvements in three areas enhancing domestic and international air connectivity, increasing the number of trained tourist guides, and expediting road infrastructure projects.

Unplanned visit amidst growing concerns

Originally in Nashik for an official tour, Sinha decided to visit the city following repeated appeals from tourism and aviation stakeholders. Chairman of the Civil Aviation Committee (ATDF) Sunit Kothari, and Chairman of the Aurangabad Tourism Development Foundation (ATDF) Jaswant Singh, have been actively pushing for better flight connectivity and tourism infrastructure.

Sinha met tourism stakeholders on Saturday including representatives from hotel and guide associations. The following day, she conducted an on-site assessment of major tourist attractions, including Ellora Caves, Grishneshwar Temple and Ajanta Caves. Accompanying her were general manager of MTDC Mumbai Chandrashekhar Jaiswal, regional manager Deepak Harane, assistant director Malti Datta, and tourism officer Snehal Tupe.

Sinha highlighted that if international flights commence, the city will see a significant rise in foreign tourist arrivals. She assured stakeholders that efforts will be made to improve air connectivity. Additionally, initiatives will be taken through MTDC, universities, and the tourism ministry to train more tourist guides. Noting that the region appears especially picturesque during monsoons, she suggested targeted promotions to highlight its seasonal beauty.

PHOTO CAPTION

Tourism Director general Mugdha Sinha visits Ajanta Caves with MTDC Mumbai General Manager Chandrashekhar Jaiswal, regional manager Deepak Harane and other officials.