Nagpur | Feb 07, 2017: Announced with much fanfare in December 2016, MTDC's Nagpur city tour and mining tours at Kolsa near Saoner and Gondegaon mines have got varied response after nearly two months of their launch.

Though the city tour has failed to attract attention of local persons or those visiting the city, the mining tours have caught the fancy of varied segments including colleges, corporates and social organization. The trips to the mines have been going full and the booking are now on for February 12 and 13.

At a rate of Rs600 per person in a non-AC bus, the city tour was to take the riders on two routes. The first to famous structures like Vidhan Bhavan, Reserve Bank of India, Rail Museum, High court. And second to religious and popular places like Raman Science Centre, Deekshabhoomi, Swami Narayan temple and Ganesh Tekdi mandir. The tour has not been conducted even once since it was inaugurated by tourism minister Jai Kumar Rawal on December 15. "We are willing to conduct promotional trips for schools and colleges," says Hanumant Hede, regional manager, MTDC at Nagpur. "I can't say what else we can do to make it attractive unless people avail of this and give us a feedback," Hede says.

But the mining tour has proved to be an amazing experience for the more adventurous in the city. At a price of Rs650 per person, the tour reaches Adasa and from there to WCL's Eco Park and then WCL guesthouse where tourist change into mining gear like jackets and helmet and proceed to the mines. Lunch is also provided at WCL guesthouse.

"We have hiked on mountains and holidayed near sea shores. But this trip takes us underground which is a unique experience," says Tejinder Singh Renu, secretary of Residential Hotel Owners Association, who took the tour last week and was lucky to experience the blast. "The safety measures where all in place and we saw miners working, water being flushed out which was very educative," he adds.

"There is a toy train at the 6 acre eco-park which takes the visitors through a safari and passes through stations and mining galleries to give first hand idea of coal mining technology," says Rajendra Jain a postal department employee who took the tour with his family.

This is the first time that WCL has opened its mines for tourism. "There are many in this city and region who have never visited mines. This tour offers that unique opportunity," Hede adds.

(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)