Travellers, Good News! India-Nepal Border Village to Become a Tourism Spot

Travelers have good news to look forward to. The Uttar Pradesh government plans to develop a quaint village along the Indo-Nepal border into a tourist hotspot as part of the One District, One Ecotourism Spot initiative. Curious? Tharu, an ethnic group indigenous to southern Nepal and northern India, dominates the village.

The Bahraich Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) told PTI that eco-tourism centers are being developed in districts and forest divisions through the UP government’s scheme to attract tourists. He noted that the Katarniaghat Forest Division already had an eco-tourism center, but there was none at Bahraich. The Tharu tribe dominated Balaigaon village, along the Indo-Nepal border, which is one of the major reasons for its selection.

DFO also noted that as the area does not have any trees in a particular zone, no trees will need to be cut down to develop tourism facilities. The forest is home to tigers, leopards, hyenas, and wild boars, among other animals, according to the expert. As the Tharu tribals continue to maintain their cultural practices and traditions, the DFO stressed that Nepalese tourists would be the primary target of the development of the tourist spot.

As part of the forest policy to attract tourists, roads, accommodation options, and other necessary facilities are being developed, he said. In the green belt, a tourist park and nature walk track will also be constructed, as well as ponds that will be developed to attract Siberian birds. In the first phase, the government plans to spend INR 2 crore on the project.

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Main tourist attractions
The ecotourism facility will include a 10-km-long safari track, specially designed vehicles equipped with trained drivers and guides, as well as four Tharu huts. In addition, there will be a Tharu canteen that serves traditional food to tourists. Reports claim that UP Eco-Tourism Corporation will run the tourist attraction through online bookings. In addition to boosting government revenue, the tourism spots will also provide job opportunities for locals, said the DFO.