Uttarakhand’s Benital to be developed as ‘astro-village’

The Chamoli district administration in Uttarakhand is making all efforts to develop Benital in Karnaprayag block as an 'astro-village'. As per officials, a team headed by District Magistrate Himanshu Khurana visited Benital recently to explore options and what else can be done in the region to generate interest among tourists.

The spot located at an altitude of 2600 metres above sea level, Benital will be developed into an astro village that will offer visitors a close view of planet, stars, and astronomical events, with night-vision dome and large telescopes. Revealing details of the project, Khurana added that the Tourism Department is building pathways, cottages, restaurants, tent platforms, and two parking lots to facilitate the travel for visitors.
The DM added that the department has estimated that a total expense of INR 5 crore will be invested in the said project, and has entrusted the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam with the responsibility of developing Benital as an astro-village.

To ensure that the project becomes a reality soon, Khurana advised the department to start repairing the road immediately from Simli to Benital, and also advised them to set up signages along the route to make tourists aware of the region, and what it has on offer for them.
He elaborated that Benital has the potential to attract tourists due to its picturesque location, and once it becomes an astro-village, it will also be able to generate self-employment opportunities for locals due to increased tourist activities.