Adventure junkies will be able to enjoy water sports, rock climbing and trekking at Netarhat this autumn with the state tourism department chalking out major plans for Sharad Utsav scheduled to be held from October to the first week of February 2019.
“We will introduce adventure sports at this year’s Sharad Utsav after the demand for such activities. We expect huge number of tourists, mostly from neighbouring states of Bengal, Odisha, Bihar and even from overseas. Adventure sports will be an added attraction at picturesque Netarhat,” said MD of Jharkhand Tourism Development Corporation (JTDC) Rajiv Ranjan.
Among the attractions planned at Sharad Utsav, launched last year, are paragliding, rock climbing, trekking, bicycle riding and water sports like kayaking and canoeing, said a senior JTDC official. The festival will also include cultural shows in the evening on all days in addition to a delicious spread of special Jharkhand cuisine at Netarhat, about 156km west of Ranchi.
“We have held talks with a private adventure sports firm of Calcutta. It will be providing services in paragliding, water sports, rock climbing and rope climbing, trekking and bicycle tourism. The firm will charge reasonably. In the very first edition of the festival in 2017, we had footfall of over 1 lakh visitors,” said deputy director JTDC Vidyanand Sharma Pankaj.
The tourism department will also inaugurate a 24-room multi-storied hotel with modern facilities during Sharad Utsav.
“We already have a tourist bungalow, Prabhat Vihar. And with the addition of this 24-room hotel we will provide more comfort to visitors. This apart, like last year, we will be providing over 20 Swiss cottages. We will offer tourist packages to Netarhat provided by operators empanelled with us from Ranchi at reasonable rates,” the deputy director added.
Charges for accommodation will be same like last year. A double bed tent for two persons will come for Rs 2,500 a day, including breakfast.
Netarhat is especially known for Magnolia, a point on the plateau from where there is a spectacular view of the rising sun. The hills and dense forest also add to the beauty of the spot that is near Lower Ghagri and Upper Ghagri waterfalls. A pine forest and the nearby Betla national park are added attractions.
