Agartala, Oct 05: The tourism sector is poised to become a key driver of Tripura's alternative economy in the future, Minister for Tourism Sushanta Chowdhury said on Saturday. 

After inaugurating new infrastructure at Neermahal, one of the iconic tourist destinations in Tripura, he mentioned that both the state government and the Tourism department are working tirelessly to transform Neermahal into a major tourist destination. 

The central government has also sanctioned a proposal of Rs. 75 crore to build state-of-the-art facilities in the area, he said. 

The minister highlighted various infrastructural developments made to enhance visitor experience at the Neermahal tourist center over the past few years. These included a Tourist Facilitation Center, souvenir shops, a welcome gate, a watchtower, ticket counters, special seating arrangements for tourists, and designated parking spaces. All these were built at Rajghat under the 'Swadesh Darshan' project at a cost of over Rs. 4.2 crore.

During his speech, Chowdhury emphasized that when a tourist destination flourishes, the local community benefits the most, with improved financial opportunities and growth in regional resources. 
However, he also stressed that the responsibility of preserving these resources lies with the locals, urging them to take an active role in protecting Neermahal.

The Tourism minister also mentioned that progress is being made in establishing a direct connection to the royal court, expressing gratitude to the Prime Minister for his active involvement in these development projects.

MLA Kishore Barman, Tourism Secretary U.K. Chakma and other dignitaries were present in the programme.