MP tourist dept to convert 3 properties into heritage hotels

The Madhya Pradesh tourism department has decided to convert the historic Tajmahal in the state capital, Moti Mahal in Gwlior and the Mahendra Bhavan in Panna into heritage properties as part of its efforts to enhance tourism.

"We have decided to convert Tajmahal in Bhopal into a hertiage property and very soon it welcome guests as a heritage hotel," principal secretary, tourism, Hariranjan Rao said here on Thursday. 

Besides, the Benazir Mahal in Bhopal, Moti Mahal in Gwalior and Mahendra Bhavan in Panna will also be converted into heritage hotels, he added.

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He said the renovation work of the Govindgarh Fort in Rewa has already started and the fort will be transformed into a heritage hotel by the end of 2019.

The department is working on transforming six heritage properties into hotels and convention centres and tenders have been issued for the Rajgarh Palace in Khajuraho, the Govindgarh Fort in Rewa and the Tajmahal in Bhopal for this.

The department has also created a heritage property bank by taking possession of Keoti Fort in Rewa, Royal hotel in Jabalpur, Vijayaraghavgarh Fort in  Katni, Sheopur Fort, Narwar Fort in Shivpuri, Lunera ka Sarayi of Mandu, Sabalgarh Fort in Morena and the Baldevgarh Fort in Tikamgarh.

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The process is also on to transform these monuments into heritage hotels, Rao said.

The number of tourists visiting the state is constantly on the rise since the past decade he said and hoped that these heritage hotels will play a major role in encouraging tourism further.