Delhi’s Tourism Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, on Thursday, inaugurated the city’s Heritage Walk Festival organised by the state government to showcase the national capital’s centuries-old heritage to people across the nation and the world.
This festival began at the Mutiny Memorial which is located at Kamala Nehru Ridge in the Civil Lines area, and will remain till December 31, which is also aimed at positioning Delhi as a key tourist destination.
Interacting with journalists during the walk, Bharadwaj said there are hundreds of hidden heritage sites in Delhi that the public and the younger generation are unaware of.
He added that through such programmes, the Delhi Tourism Department aims to present the history of these priceless heritage sites to the people of the city and also the nation. “The goal is to make Delhi a major attraction not only in the country but also globally, increasing the interest of tourists from other states and abroad,“ Bharadwaj added.
He said the department has been organising such programmes periodically, and in continuation, this year’s 80-day festival has been organised under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal, and similar events will be held in the future as well, Bharadwaj added.
As part of the event, participants will explore 100 different historical sites across Delhi, he said.
The Festival will run from October 10 to December 31, covering around 100 heritage sites across the city.
The general public can also participate in the festival by purchasing a ticket for a nominal fee set by the tourism department, and the ticket allows anyone to join the walk and explore Delhi’s rich heritage through the organised program, the concerned department said.
As for the Mutiny Memorial where the festival began, it was built by the British during the 1857 freedom struggle to honour their officers and their allies who died in battle.
The memorial also stands as a symbol of India’s freedom struggle, as it represents how freedom fighters shook the very foundations of British rule during the struggle for independence.