After developing the first two meteor craters into geo-tourism destinations in Maharashtra’s Lonar town and Madhya Pradesh’s Dhala village, India is set to develop its third such site in Rajasthan. The Rajasthan Tourism Board will soon transform the Ramgarh crater in the Baran district into a popular destination.
Sharing the information about the Ramgarh crater, Satish Tripathi, general secretary, The Society of Earth Scientists, said, “The crater, 12 kilometres from Mangrol tehsil of Baran district, was discovered in 1869. It is believed that this crater, which has a diameter of 3.5 kilometres, was formed after a meteorite fell from space 600 million years ago,” in a report by PTI.
Development plan for the Ramgarh crater
The tourism department has started developing the spot as a tourist attraction, estimating the expenses to be around INR 57 crore. This cost will include work on infrastructure development and beautification of the lake inside the crater. Other things which have been proposed for developing the site are:
- A high-quality road.
- An information and knowledge centre.
- A cafeteria.
- Developing green areas and gardens.
- Constructing a ghat.
- Setting up of signages, an entrance gate and drip irrigation.
“In the coming days, the Ramgarh crater will emerge as a favourite tourist destination in the country with the department moving forward to promote geology tourism,” Rajasthan Tourism Department Director Rashmi Sharma said.
Also, Ramgarh has been declared a conservation reserve area by the forest department, Sharma added.
The officials expect 30,000 to 40,000 tourists to visit the site every year after the area’s development, according to the PTI report.
Recognised as the 200th Meteorite Impact Crater in the world by the US-based Meteoritical Society, the Ramgarh crater is a geo-heritage site, meaning a natural geological feature with scientific and educational importance.
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What can be found around the crater?
According to Daleep Singh Rathore, deputy director of the tourism department, the crater has two lakes which are the natural habitat of several migratory birds. Kelpuri Samadhi Sthal and a 950-year-old Devi temple are located inside the crater. Animals such as Chital deer and wild boars can be spotted here too. On the periphery of the crater, a 10th-century Khajuraho-style Shiva temple is also situated.
Hero and feature image: Courtesy Wikipedia
This story first appeared in Travel + Leisure India.
