KARACHI, March 27: The Sindh Tourism Development Corporation (STDC) will construct tourist resorts and restaurants at Gorakh Hill and Ranni Kot in Dadu District at a cost of Rs100 million as part of government plans to promote tourism in the province and provide recreational facilities to tourists.

Presiding over a meeting in this connection, the managing director, STDC, M. Ishaq Lashari, reviewed the initial plans and pointed out that in Sindh there were scores of historic, cultural and recreational sites but they lacked the necessary facilities.

He said that the Culture and Tourism Department had planned the construction of tourist resorts, huts and restaurants at all these places.

Ishaq Lashari said these resorts and huts would be cheaper price-wise when compared to similar facilities in Muree and other places.

These places, he pointed out, also provided easy access to the Mazar of Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, Manchar Lake and other nearby historic and recreational places.

He informed the meeting that Rs50 million had been allocated for construction of tourist resorts and huts in Gorakh Hill.

He said that the project would be launched in coordination with the District Coordination Officer Dadu, while the departments of Culture and Tourism and Works and Communication would be the executing agencies.

Gorakh Hill is situated at a height of 6000 feet in Kirthar Range, Sehwan Taluka. It has beautiful scenic sites and waterfalls.

The temperature here varies from 7 to 30 degrees Centigrade in the summer and 0 to 5 degrees Centigrade in the winter.

With these features in view, it is being introduced as a hill station.

Rs 50 million have been earmarked for the construction of tourist resorts and huts at Ranni Kot.

Ranni Kot is regarded as the world’s biggest fort which carries within its fold a number of mysteries.

Nothing is known from history as to who built this fort, which is fenced by a 29km-long wall raised on mountainous ranges. It is situated only 90kms from Hyderabad.

According to an estimate, at least between 40,000 and 50,000 tourists are expected to visit these places.—APP