Thursday, September 27, 2012

Heritage Tourism: Alternative Plan for Viper Island


THE LIGHT OF ANDAMANS | VOL 36 | ISSUE 01 | 01 OCT 2012
Heritage Tourism: Alternative Plan for Viper Island

Mukeshwar Lall, a local-born and a renowned historian and filmmaker of Andaman and Nicobar Islands with about 40 documentaries to his credit has joined the movement against the Viper Project and is providing all support by highlighting the historical facet of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. An ardent collector of archival documents, photographs and books on the penal history of the Islands, he had also written the voluminous script for the Viper Island Light and Sound Show, which was shelved later after the equipments damaged by tsunami.
Speaking to The Light of Andamans, Mukeshwar Lall gave an alternative integrated project on heritage tourism for Viper Island. "There is a need to restore the important structures at Viper Island archaeologically," he said. "A circuit with Viper-Chatham-Cellular Jail and Ross Island can be planned with various activities under Heritage Tourism. A talking façade, Light and Sound Show, Museum and a Research Centre related with the freedom struggle of 1857 can be put up at Viper Island. A convention and seminar hall and a well-stocked library with other amenities can also be planned. Massive replicas of the complete jail can also be erected in Viper Island.
"There are so many Second World War bunkers and tunnels in Port Blair and surroundings, which are in a state of neglect. A well-planned conducted heritage tour of the Islands with proper technological support will go a long way in the promotion of tourism in the Islands," Mukesh said.
Tourists interested in Heritage and Historical tourism should have sufficient activities at Viper Island itself. "What we have done at Ross and Cellular Jail should not be repeated anywhere else," Mukesh said. "We have decorated the interiors of Cellular Jail galleries with bright colours, which does not evoke the fear and pain, inflicted on the freedom fighters," he added.
Commenting on the Yacht Marina Project coming up at Viper Island, he said that Yacht Marina can be only an added tourism activity. However, he pointed out that the proposed site for the 30-room accommodation is reclaimed land, which is unsuitable for construction. He also said that selection of Viper Island for such a project shows the insensitivity of the Admn towards the sacrifices of the freedom fighters.

1 comment:

vinothkumar said...




interesting blog. It would be great if you can provide more details about it. Thanks you



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