Uttar Pradesh Heritage Arc

The Heritage ARC - Uttar Pradesh Tourism (द हेरिटेज आर्क - उत्तर प्रदेश पर्यटन)
Ensemble of memorable sites
The Heritage ARC - official Logo
Country	India
State	Uttar Pradesh
District	Agra district, Lucknow district, Varanasi district
Landmarks	Taj Mahal, Bara Imambara, Ghats in Varanasi
Location	Agra, Lucknow, Varanasi
Length	645,000 m (2,116,142 ft), west-east
Government	Government of Uttar Pradesh
Website: http://uptourism.gov.in/post/heritage-arc

The Uttar Pradesh Heritage Arc is a chain of survey triangulations stretching from Agra to Lucknow and Varanasi in India, covering an area of approximately 700 km.

History

The idea was conceived by the Government of Uttar Pradesh, most prominently by Shri Akhilesh Yadav, Chief Minister of the state in the year 2014-2015.^[1] It was an important step to boost tourism in the state of Uttar Pradesh which is the most populated state of India. The brainchild of the Director-General of Tourism, Government of Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Amrit Abhijat, IAS, the concept of the Heritage Arc was presented to the U.P. Tourism Board, chaired by the Hon. Chief Minister, Shri Akhilesh Yadav in 2014. The project was approved, and has received the full support and active encouragement of the Hon. Chief Minister Shri. Akhilesh Yadav. The Heritage Arc effortlessly links together great epochs of Indian history, art, culture and tradition – Agra, Lucknow, and Varanasi.The project is quite successful.

Beginning in 2014, the Government of Uttar Pradesh has undertaken a number of initiatives to realize its vision for the Heritage Arc and to promote tourism. Tourist footfall figures for the 2014-15 winter season show the level of success, with Uttar Pradesh recording higher visitor numbers than Delhi or Rajasthan (TOI Report, 24 July 2015).

Major Decisions & Actions

Policy & Taxation:

Uttar Pradesh Tourism Promotion Board has been set up with industry representatives, and eminent personalities of the state to formulate and implement a comprehensive tourism development and promotion agenda. Further decisions include: Heritage Tourism Policy – 2014; Eco-tourism Policy – 2014; Proposed new Tourism Policy – 2015; Proposed industry status to tourism; Online collection of luxury tax; Eco tourism policy – review – 2015; Eco tourism Management and Development Fund; and Creation of Monument Development Fund

Infrastructure Projects:

Agra-Lucknow Greenway – expressway that will reduce the travel time between Agra and Lucknow to around 3 hours, against the current 5-6 hours. Completion expected by 2017; Agra Ring road – facilitating the movement of tourists and locals across the city, improving access to other monuments and tourist attractions beyond the Taj Mahal. First phase completion expected by 2017;

Lucknow Metro – facilitating the movement of tourists and locals across the city, providing access to major monuments and tourist attractions. First phase completion expected by 2017; Intra-city air connectivity between Agra-Lucknow-Varanasi; Tourism roads infrastructure fund within PWD budget; and MOU with INTACH for Heritage Conservation Projects.

Destination Management Projects:

Lion safari at Etawah; Mice convention centre at Agra; Mughal museum at Agra; Chhattar Manzil City Museum project at Lucknow; Theme park at Agra; Centre for Living Traditions at Varanasi; Bateshwar Conservation Project; Bateshwar Fair – 2015; Sound & light shows in Agra-Lucknow-Varanasi; Illumination of heritage buildings; Signage’s in tourist areas; Heritage walks – Lucknow – Agra; Proposed mutiny heritage trail at Etawah, Kanpur, Lucknow and Meerut; Lucknow on cycle – LOC; Proposed Bah wine park; and Agra to Lion Safari – cycle track.

Heritage ARC Branding & Promotion Initiatives

UPTM – A five-year MOU has been signed with FICCI. The very first Uttar Pradesh Travel Mart was oragnised in Lucknow from 21-23 February 2015. The event was inaugurated with much fanfare at a grand function held at the LaMartinere School grounds, by the Hon, Chief Minister, Shri Akhilesh Yadav. 80 foreign buyers from over 27 different countries participated, with B2B meetings with tourism professionals of the state. Familiarization visits were arranged for the visitors along the Heritage Arc and Buddhist and Wildlife circuits. The date of the next UPTM have been fixed for 21-23 February 2016, in Agra, and is already creating a buzz in tourism circles.

Participation of a high level delegation at the ITB in Berlin in March 2015

The Hon. Minister for Tourism Government of Uttar Pradesh, Shri. Om Prakash Singh led a delegation of senior officers, including Chief Secretary Mr. Alok Ranjan, and DG Tourism Mr. Amrit Abhijat to create awareness of Uttar Pradesh’s tourism friendly policies and initiatives, and to conduct meetings with industry professionals. This effort helped signal Uttar Pradesh Governments intent and seriousness in promoting tourism within the state.^[2]

Other initiatives include: Successful launch of ‘Heritage Arc’ branding for UP Tourism in the print and electronic media, in India and overseas; Substantial enhancement of the tourism budget; High quality tourism promotion films/books/publicity material; State participation at WTM London – 2014; Taj Challenge car rally – 2015; Mera Agra campaign – 2015; Participation at GITB, Jaipur – 2015; Wajid Ali Shah festival – 2015; Proposed Chambal cycling challenge – 2015; UP bird watching festival – 2015 Chambal/Dudhwa; and UP bird watching trail launch.

Uttar Pradesh Travel Mart

The Department of Tourism has very strongly demonstrated the intent and concrete willingness to enhance the canvas of tourism in the state beyond Taj Mahal and few other selected destinations. One major step towards the giant task has been the event of Uttar Pradesh Travel Mart 2015, an initiative of the Government of Uttar Pradesh that showcases the visionary leadership of its young Chief Minister, Mr. Akhilesh Yadav. The event had UP Tourism as its face in coordination with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI). The first edition held at Lucknow on 22-24 February looks at the promotion of all-important strategic areas of tourism in a substantial way for the state. The motive behind the event has been to lay the ground for initial dialogue and interaction through B2B session wherein the foreign delegates gets to have on-hand experience of not only the destination product but also the subsidiaries, infra-structure, hotel industry, transport and other ancillary service providers. The efforts of Mr. Amrit Abhijat, Director General, Uttar Pradesh Tourism have been commendable and he has tirelessly put in all the efforts to open the new windows of opportunities for the larger interests of the tourism sector of the state. ^[3][4]

Uttar Pradesh Travel Writer’s Conclave

The tourism initiative brought international and Indian journalists to Uttar Pradesh’s Heritage Arc – Agra, Varanasi and Lucknow – to experience for themselves the diversity of the state’s culture and heritage, food and textiles, landscapes as well as the wildlife. The conclave brought together experts in the fields of conservation; planning, food and architecture to help Uttar Pradesh build a road map that will help the state draw visitors from across India and across the world.

Visiting writers and photographers chose between three tours that explore the diversity of Agra, Varanasi and Lucknow. Journalists visiting Agra experienced first-hand the magnificence of the Taj Mahal at daybreak, as well as Akbar’s Tomb, the Itmad-au-Daulah, and a typical breakfast of bedai and jalebi – all that makes this exhilarating Indian city such a great showcase of Mughal influence. The tour across Varanasi began with a dawn boat-ride on the Ganga, followed by a tour of the ghats and temples, and, then, a healthy satvik vegetarian lunch. Journalists also visited the Buddhist site at Sarnath, and went on a walking tour that showcased the city’s quirkier side. Shopping for Benaras silk was also on the menu. Whereas, the Lucknow tour was predominantly a celebration of the city’s food – street food, kebabs, Awadhi cooking, as well as an exploration of its poignant tombs and shopping for its typical chikankari fabrics and garments.

At a panel discussions, experts including Amrit Abhijat (Director General, IAS), columnist and writer Anil Dharker, cultural activist Navina Jafa, editor of Lonely Planet Magazine India Vardhan Kondvikar and food writer and critic Osama Jalali debated on how Uttar Pradesh can conserve and showcase its rich heritage. Amrit Abhijat, wildlife researcher and conservationist Gerry Martin, Country Manager for South African Tourism Hanneli Slabber, and wildlife conservation activist and wildlife journalist Prerna Bindra weigh in on how Uttar Pradesh can establish itself as a wildlife destination. Navina Jafa, representative of the World Monuments Fund in India Amita Baig, film director, screenwriter, producer and actor Nagesh Kukoonorand Rajiv Duggal, Senior Vice President of Tourism, Hospitality & Leisure and Education at Lavasa Corporation Ltd, deliberated on the infrastructure the state needs to build to become a more tourist-friendly destination.

Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav while speaking at Uttar Pradesh Travel Writers' Conclave praised the works done in tourism sector and said that now it can be understood that the tourist circuit, Heritage Arc has left Golden Triangle behind. ^[5]

Destinations on the ARC regions covered in the heritage

Agra region

• Agra
• Fatehpur Sikri
• Barsana
• Bateshwar
• Chambal Sanctuary
• Etawah Lion Safari
• Gokul
• Nandgaon
• Mathura
• Vrindavan

Lucknow region

• Lucknow
• Bithoor
• Dewa Sharif
• Dudhwa
• Katarnia Ghat
• Naimisharanya
• Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary

Varanasi region

• Varanasi
• Sarnath
• Vindhyachal
• Sonbhadra
• Chunar
• Kushinagar
• Kapilvastu
• Sravasti

References