The tourism sector in Pathankot is all set for major reform after the Union Ministry for Forest, Environment and Climate Change approved to develop Pathankot twin islands – Kalara and Palangi, located in the middle of the Ranjit Sagar Dam Lake, Pathankot as a world-class tourist destination.

Dr. Sanjeev Tiwari, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), confirmed the news and said that the matter is in the court of the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB). A senior officer said the PIDB was working to finalize the framework for a global tender, after which work would start on the project. The lake is located on the tri-junction of Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh. PIDB is planning to develop the twin islands as a water sports facility to give a boost to the city’s economy.

SAD and Congress government on PTK Twin Islands project

Both SAD and Congress tried to speed up this project. In 2014, when Sukhbir Singh Badal was Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab took a chartered flight from New Delhi along with big shots in the hospitality sector.

In 2017, during the independence day speech in Gurdaspur, Capt. Amrinder Singh announced a fiscal package to give a boost to the project. But Venture failed to move further as Union Forest Ministry took its own time to give its nod to the project.

Will develop Ranjit Sagar lake PTK as a Tourist Hub: Navjot Singh Sidhu

Navjot Singh Sidhu, who also holds the tourism portfolio, visited the Ranjit Sagar Dame lake Pathankot on June 16, 2018, and unveiled the plan to develop the twin islands Kalara and Palangi of Pathankot into a world-class tourism place. During his visit, he further said that the twin-island Kalara and Musharba were the property of the Tourism department and all efforts would be made to develop it as a tourist destination.

The Forest Ministry wanted to ensure that while setting up the project, no harm caused to the ecosystem. However, locals remain skeptical, as they believed that, till the Ranjit Sagar Dam lake wasn’t proper connectivity, the twin-island project will remain a mirage for them.

Source: The Tribune

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