If there is a department which stands to be benefitted from the recently concluded Advantage Assam- Global Investment Summit (GIS), it is the tourism department. Realizing this, ATDC has identified more than two dozen projects as investible projects. Many of them are very ambitious projects which if materialize can change the face of the State. But these projects are yet to get investors.
Kausar J Hilaly, Managing Director of Assam Tourism Development Corporation told Northeast Now, “We are waiting for investors to take up projects which we have identified. We don’t expect this to happen overnight. A good thing about the Global Investment Summit is that it has created a buzz and made people interested about our region. In the future, we might see rapid investment in this sector.”
Two of the ATDC identified projects which have managed to create buzz are development of golf resort or hotel at Chandrapur and mini film city in Haflong. The golf resort or hotel will be set up on 60 acres of land and can provide employment to 125-140 people. It will be the first of its kind golf resort and site is also in close proximity to Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary.
On the other hand, the film city will be built on a 50 acre land in Haflong and will provide employment opportunity to 300 people. There are plans to develop thirty outdoor shooting locations amidst the natural topography with hills, valleys, ravines, flat open spaces, natural woods and water bodies. Outdoor locations to be developed such as – shopping complex, mosque, temple, church, helipad, playground, jail, buildings, gardens, lake, bridges, court room, hotels and club house.
However, not much has progressed for these ambitious projects. Hilaly says, “Not many people are willing to invest in golf course in Assam. It is an elitist sport with less popularity in Assam. There are twenty golf courses in Assam but hardly two-three are used. It is popular among tea planters but not much elsewhere. Even the Jorhat Gymkhana Club golf course, which is the third oldest golf course in the world, is struggling to maintain itself. In such a scenario, may be getting investors for the golf course might not be easy. We are hopeful about the film city. The Dima Hasao Autonomous Council wanted a film city and so we gave them that. If this happens, then it will give tremendous boost to tourism there.”