The tourism department in Rajasthan is working to restore the depicted Havelis of Shekhavati. The government is planning a tourism circle connecting eight towers. The central government supports this initiative from the state. The consent of the property owners is required to revive these private properties. The aim of this project is to preserve Shekhavati's cultural heritage.
The Travel Department in Rajasthan has started the process of preserving the depicted Havelis from Shekhavati, which is in the center of the region's heritage. Decades of neglect and decay have put them on the path of destruction and extinction. The revival plans to develop a tourism circuit that combines eight cities together in Junezunu Sikar and Churu, including the SHEKHAWATI region.
According to the government project development agency, PDCOR, the initial plan would cover old havelis in Nawalgarh, Dundlod, Laxmangarh, Ramgarh, Fatehpuri, Khetri, Mandawa, and Mahansar.
Tourism Minister Diya Kumari has held meetings with the district collector of the region, who has identified over 600 private properties with heritage value that can be revived. The mindset has also roped in industry representatives to devise ways for their revival, as most of the properties are owned by private individuals. Guidelines have been issued to notify these assets as heritage properties if they were built before 1950, while the newly built up area should not be more than 50 per cent of the area.
The government is also giving incentives for upgrading these havelis into heritage hotels. Heritage certification allows them to avail of a liquor license at 70 per cent of the fees. Adding to this, the government grants a liquor license to hotels with a minimum of 10 rooms. However, in the case of heritage properties, the criteria have been relaxed to five rooms. In a recent event in the city, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and Principal Secretary Rajesh Yadav stated that the government is actively working on reviving these properties. Last week at an event in Bikaner House in Delhi, Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said, “We discussed the initiative and plan of the state government in the presence of the stakeholders, the owners of the havelis or descendants of families.”
Shruti Nada Poddar, convener of INTACH Shekhawatui Chapter, who organised the event, said, “The Centre is willing to support the moves of the state govt.” Since these properties belong to private individuals and the government cannot take over them, it would require their consent for the revival plan.
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