CM lays foundation stone for Sharda river corridor in Champawat

Pithoragarh: Chief minister (CM) Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday laid the foundation stone of the Sharda river corridor at Tanakpur in Champawat district, marking the start of a large-scale infrastructure and tourism development plan for the region. He also inaugurated and laid foundation stones for several other projects.While addressing the gathering, Dhami said, "The Sharda corridor is a commitment made during the election campaign and will play a key role in the district's development. This project will support economic activity, religious tourism and cultural initiatives in Champawat, while creating employment opportunities for local youth."The corridor project will cover nearly 200 sq km of the Champawat district, with a total proposed investment of Rs 3,300 crore across various components.As part of the first phase, Dhami inaugurated the redevelopment of Sharda Ghat, being built at the cost of Rs 10.7 crore; the first phase of the Tanakpur city drainage system costing Rs 66 crore; a helipad at Chuka and a multi-storey parking facility.Under the Sharda river corridor plan, facilities for adventure tourism such as river rafting on the Sharda and paragliding have been proposed. Dhami said the govt also aims to extend the Purnagiri mela beyond its current three-month schedule to attract visitors throughout the year. He said the state govt has been focusing on conservation and development of cultural heritage sites, including temples at Devidhura, Bageshwar, Jageshwar, Patal Bhuvaneshwar and the Goljyu temple in Champawat.