TAAN starts Ruby Valley project

Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) and SAMARTHA/Nepal Market Development Programme (NMPD) — funded by UKAID/DFID — has started the Ganesh Himal (Ruby Valley)-Manaslu Tourism Development Project.

The six-month project came into existence with the signing of an agreement between Ramesh Prasad Dhamala, president of TAAN, and Wouter Schklem, country manager of SAMARTHA/NMPD.

To develop tourism infrastructure in Dhading and Gorkha districts, the project will coordinate with Ganesh Himal Tourism Development Committee, village development committee, district development committee, and Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.

The estimated project of around Rs 32 million will be invested for construction of a suspension bridge, box bridge, establishment of tourist information centre, view point, view tower, development of trekking route and its maintenance, construction of porter shelter, and study and research of caves.

TAAN started exploring the area in June 2012 and concluded the survey trip in January 2014.

source: the himalayan times,27 march 2014