The lump sum cost, they said recently during the presentation of the report involves construction of three finger shaped glass skywalks connected through a tunnel in the rocky spur of Bhaleydunga cliff standing at an elevation of 10,102 feet. The international consultancy firm has already submitted the interim and draft report of the project to the state government.

The Chief Minister Mr. Pawan Chamling, who had been showing a keen interest in the realisation of this project since 2007, while presenting the Annual Budget for the year 2009-10 recently in the State Assembly said that the construction of the Skywalk will commence as early as possible with a budget provision of Rs. 1 crore for this financial year.

“Creation of the skywalk in isolation may not be sufficient for long term sustainability. There is a need to develop the skywalk as an integrated tourist destination,” the company representative said adding that the world class technology will be infused in the proposed skywalk so that the Bhaleydunga Skywalk can not be replicated elsewhere in the world thereby maintaining its singularity.

The firm had already visited Sikkim seven times in the past one and half years and has already submitted the interim and draft report after detailed conservations with the government officials.

“This will be an iconic project and will develop Sikkim as a unique tourism destination,” the representatives said.

As per the project structure, the design of the glassy skywalk at Bhaleydunga has been proposed as a three fingered fork at ninety degrees each protruding out from inside the top of the cliff. The proposed skywalk will stand at an elevation of 10,102 feet and the cliff would be connected by a ropeway from the nearby hamlet of Yangang.

With the Bhaleydunga hill falling within a forest protected area, the firm in its initial report has also stressed on the need to ensure minimum damage to the natural habitat.

For the development of tourism in the state, Sikkim’s lone MP to the Rajya Sabha OT Lepcha had also briefed the Union Minister of Tourism and requested her for all out support so that the state will be able to carry on with the tourism projects successfully in the stipulated time which will augment trade in the state tremendously.

Mr Lepcha also requested the Government to give support for the installation of the Skywalk Project and extend financial and technical help through centrally sponsored schemes and otherwise for the development of the state as a world class tourist destination.

Speaking on the tourism front, Mr. Chamling in his Independence Day address pegged on eco-tourism as the economic instrument to bring about qualitative transformation in the people’s lives in Sikkim. He said the target is to generate a combined revenue of Rs. 1500 crores annually by 2015 which will be in addition to other lapsable and non-lapsable pool of resources and other similar grants from the Central Government. He also urged the people to adopt austerity measures both in their offices and homes and rationalise their wants and needs to what is reasonable and manageable too.

Roadmap for tourism development Sikkim is expected to have footfalls of at least eight lakh tourists annually by 2015 making it a major tourism centre. As per the Singapore based Subarna International Consultancy Pte Ltd, out of these projections, the number of international tourists is set at around 34,000.

East Sikkim being the gateway to major tourism hotspots will be attracting more than 5 lakhs tourists annually by 2015, said the consultancy firm representatives while presenting the ‘developmental guide plans of Gangtok, Namchi, Gyalshing and Mangan’, the district headquarters of the four districts of Sikkim.

The presentation for the stakeholders was made recently at Chintan Bhawan, Gangtok which was attended by Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, Speaker KT Gyaltsen, Cabinet Minister, MLAs and a host of senior civil authorities.

The firm had been engaged by the state government to prepare a master plan for the development of the urban centres of the state and also to separately prepare a master plan for developing Sikkim as a major tourism destination in the world.

Presenting the tourism component of the urban renewal plan, the representatives said that while the figures of tourists coming to Sikkim will reach around 8 lakhs annually by 2015, there is a requirement of an additional 8753 rooms to cater to the visiting tourists.

The tourism traffic in East Sikkim will remain high and as per the urban master plan for Gangtok, there is an urgent need to have larger and better managed hotels and to curb unlicensed hotels. There is also a lack of quality eateries in Gangtok, the study noted.

As a step to decongest Gangtok, the consultancy firm has also called for developing religious, eco-tourism and natural attractions, reviving the handicrafts and handlooms products and decentralisation of permit system.

The firm has proposed the setting up of a cultural and nature zone in the southern and northern areas of Gangtok. The cultural zone in southern Gangtok should be ready by 2015 with a museum, performing arts centre, exhibition and convention centre, the firm suggested.

It has also recommended demarcating the northern zone of Gangtok as a nature zone upgrading the Himalayan Zoological Park and setting up spas.

The company also forecasted two more casinos in Gangtok, adding that these aspects will be highlighted in the Tourism Master Plan report for Sikkim later this year.

Appealing to the Sikkimese people to pledge themselves to build Sikkim as a model state in the country, Governor Balmiki Prasad Singh has called upon the people to preserve the peace of the Himalayan state, which he said was crucial for tourism development.

“Peace, tranquillity, harmony and the warmth of the people of Sikkim are shining examples and part of the Sikkimese way of life. Let us preserve it,” said the Governor in his Independence Day message.

Pitfalls

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has in the meantime asked the State Government to tap its tourism potential.

Describing Sikkim as a veritable paradise and a tourist destination for all seasons, the CAG has in its audit report for 2007-08 said that the Sikkim government should formulate its tourism policy on the lines of the national policy outlining a comprehensive action plan for better connectivity and infrastructural facilities.

The report further said that the state should accord utmost priority with adequate budgetary support to the development of flora and fauna of Sikkim for promotion of health / nature tourism.

Moreover, the CAG’s rap on the State Tourism Department officials for their ‘casual approach’ in their failure to accord priority to safety and security measures by not appointing tourist police or separate mobile units to handle emergency situations has come as a blotch to the efforts put in by the state government.

The tourism officials are also criticized for their ‘failure’ to utilise 75 idle assets like Yatri Nivas, wayside amenities, cafeteria and trekker huts / trails, constructed at a cost of Rs. 56.17 crore leading to no yield on the investment. “Four out of 16 Tourist Information Centres were ill-equipped or non-functional for a period ranging from one to two years,” the CAG report revealed.