Local Heritage Sites: Replicas attracting visitors upon arrival at Chikalthana airport demolished!

Aurangabad, Oct 26:

The cash-strapped Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) which always struggles to overcome its financial crunch has wasted Rs 50 lakh by its one wrong decision taken two years ago.

Under the then union Government''s Mega Tourism Circuit (MTC) to promote tourism, the AMC constructed replicas of heritage sites and places, outside the premises of the Chikalthana Airport, in 2018. It also named the project as Aurangabad Darshan. However, the money has now got wasted as the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) undertook the widening of busy Jalna Road which is adjacent to the airport. The demolition of replicas has started, and the contractor will be completing the task on a war-footing basis, said the sources.

It may be noted that the tourism project worth Rs 24 crore was sanctioned to Aurangabad under MTC in 2014. Later on, the civic body received a token amount of Rs 5 crore through Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC). The AMC utilise the fund upon the development of roads (including furniture) leading from Central Bus Stand to Jama Masjid and Begumpura to Bibi ka Maqbara and then constructing replicas outside the airport. Hence, amid replicas, the civic body developed green lawns with illumination on the street adjacent to the Jalna Road in 2018.

The replicas include Padmapani of Ajanta Caves, Kailas Stambh of Ellora, Suneshri Mahal, Aurangabad Caves, Panchakki, Bibi ka Maqbara, Bhadkal Gate, Makai Gate and Delhi Gate. These replicas were impressing the international and domestic tourists disembarking at the airport. Aurangabad Darshan project came up on area which was 112 metres long and nine-metres wide. Surprisingly, the AMC completed without a second thought that the money will get waste after road widening. The office did not even take the pain to seek the consultation of its town planning section, said the sources.

Jalna Road is a part of National Highway 211 and is owned by the union Government. Hence the custodian National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) had undertaken the task of widening the road, construct underpasses and bridges on the route.