Bhubaneswar: Odisha tourism department has decided to open the gates of palaces in the state to common people, who will be able to use them as homestays. In the first phase of the programme christened “Heritage Palace Tourism”, plans are afoot to renovate the Aul, Nilagiri and Dhenkanal palaces on the lines of Udaipur City Palacein Rajasthan.
According to state tourism secretary, Mona Sharma, Odisha is home to several erstwhile princely states so any new initiative will be extremely useful for both the tourism sector and the public.
According to sources, the tourism department is upbeat about the endeavour, which includes not only palaces but also ancient buildings in Odisha.
Dhenkanal Prince, Amar Jyoti Singh Deo, on Tuesday said, “It was open for all from ancient times, but then people used to come with their problems. In the new era, people will come to enjoy here.”
A member of Aul’s royal family and BJD MP, Pratap Keshari Deb, also said, “Foreign tourists are interested in staying in heritage buildings. We have been implementing it in-house for the past 10 to 12 years, with nearly 30 to 40 tourists arriving each year. The numbers will increase after the government’s approval and it will be helpful in maintaining heritage properties.”
