In view of promoting night tourism and capturing every visitor’s eye during the next year’s Commonwealth Games, the India Tourism Development Corporation is quite busy illumining the city’s monuments.
Besides the already designated task of lighting 13 monuments, another set of 33 monuments is awaiting the go-ahead from the ministry of tourism (MoT).
Vice-president of engineering department, ITDC, Ravi Pandit said the agency has drawn a panel of international consultants for illumination of 33 monuments.
Adding that the criteria for selection are history, location and prominence, he said, “The MoT is yet to sanction the plan, and the selection would come from historians and ASI experts.”
Earlier, 13 historical structures were chosen on the basis of their proximity to the Games venues and ITDC was appointed by the MoT as the lighting work at the 13 monumental sites before the CWG.
Ravi stated, “Out of the 13 monuments , the work of lighting four monuments , namely Safdurjung Tomb, Sabz Burj, Purana Quila and Sher Shah Gate, has been completed under phase I, the remaining nine monuments are going to be taken under phase II up gradation.”
To yield the maximum from minimum available resource, ITDC is abiding by the call of the time by applying the concept of energy efficiency, which also brings down the cost by a substantial margin.
Ravi explained,” All the methods used for lighting are energy-efficient and consequently, the maintenance cost comes down to one-seventh of the cost incurred with routine lighting.”
Besides, said Ravi, the task involves a lot of meticulous details, given the fact that Archeological Survey of India doesn’t want any harm to the live wire and digging activity at the site. All the monuments that are being considered for illumination are under the jurisdiction of ASI. So, the entire work us being carried out from a distance to ensure that no damage is caused to the monuments. Moreover, the lights, which do not have ultra violet radiation, do not affect the upper creamy layer of the monuments. Ravi told the Tribune.
ITDC will come up with a fusion of light emitting diodes and metallic halides to create an electrifying effect in the mind of every tourist.” To offer the visitors, an unforgettable picture of the historical past in all its grandeur, we would be working out amazing designs through variegated-colored lights,” said Ravi.
At the four monuments, ITDC has employed LED, and the remaining lighting work at other sites would also involve MH, given MH has time control device, which enables in adjusting /altering the intensity of light after fixed intervals of time.
The work is in advised stage, with the designs and estimates for the nine monuments already submitted by the department concerned of ITDC, and the work of awarding the tenders would be within a week’s time, said Ravi.
While the illumination of 13 monuments is targeted to be complete by March 2010, with an estimated expenditure of Rs 23.75 crore, the confirmation for starting lighting for the selected monuments from 33 identified is likely to come by next week, as learnt from confirmed sources.
Even though, not much work has been completed till now, the spirit is really high within the official quarters.
“The task has to be achieved within a definitive timeframe. The idea is to promote night tourism, and the concept has already borne fruit in several parts of India,” said Ravi.
Here, with the “Incredible India” campaign already setting the ball rolling for promoting tourism during the next year’s Commonwealth Games by bagging the years best campaign award at the recently held World Travel Market in London, the lighted monuments would add momentum to the task.
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