Tourists coming to the ‘Queen of Hills’, Shimla can now take an additional pleasure of ‘Heritage Walk’ that had once been a delight for the Viceroy of India during their stay in Shimla. To make this feasible the Forest Department is making all out efforts to revive the nature trail that leads to Glen Forest starts near ChauraMaidan that is going to provide boost to the tourism prospects as well.
Chief Conservator of forest NageshGuleria said, “To add a delightful experience and charm for the tourists visiting the hill capital, forest department is rejuvenating old forest trails. We are working to revive three Nature Trails and already two of the Nature Trails have been rejuvenated completely, while the remaining one is under restoration.”
Forest Minister Govind Thakur will soon inaugurate the Nature Trails for tourists and local visitors. “These Nature Trails have been classified as Brass Path (1.5 kms), Whispering Path (4 kms on one side) and Jaldhara. To make the trails more enriching for the visitors the Forest Department will provide Nature Guides.
The basic training to the Guides has been imparted.” Guleria said, “To enrich the tourist’s experience with knowledge, Guides will inform and sensitise both the locals as well as the tourists about flaura and fauna of the hills of Glen Forest and about rare species of plants and Himalayan trees that they come across during the nature walk.
Besides taking pleasure of nature walk, visitors can spend some time in the lap of nature on the benches on the way to Glen Forest and can click photographs from the towers installed for this purpose.”
This Nature Walk can be experienced at Rs 20 per visitor and at Rs. 100-150 to be accompanied with Nature Guides, he said, adding that approximately Rs. 80 lakhs have been spent on the project for picnic spot, photography towers and benches.