On National Tourism Day in Chandigarh, Pawan Bansal expressed his apprehension about the diminishing trend in tourism within the city. He highlighted the factors responsible for this decline, including the city’s reduced rankings in cleanliness surveys, natural disasters in Himachal, and insufficient tourist facilities in the City Beautiful. He urged the administration to address these issues. Additionally, Bansal pointed out the lack of adequate tourism infrastructure, such as a dedicated website, besides the solitary Tourist Information Center in the city.
Chandigarh, known as the Heritage City, could captivate the hearts of tourists if the administration adopts the latest publicity techniques to reach a wider audience. A media report revealed an 85% decrease in tourist arrivals in Chandigarh during the first seven months of 2023. Pawan Bansal questioned why the city administration has not taken action and why the tourism facilities in Chandigarh, often regarded as the gateway to Himachal, are not up to global standards.
Former Union Minister Pawan Bansal commented that despite the presence of attractions like Rock Garden, Zakir Hussain Rose Garden, Sukhna Lake, the newly constructed Bird Park, the Heritage Capitol Complex, Punjab and Haryana High Court, Punjab and Haryana Civil Secretariat, and the Plaza in Sector 17, the heart of Chandigarh, the city’s Plaza, there is room for improvement.
He noted that even the Swiss Franc features a picture of Le Corbusier, underscoring his stature as a great architect. Pawan Bansal stressed the need to polish and enhance the tremendous tourism potential in Chandigarh, envisioned by Le Corbusier.