Tripura Government Plans to Make Neermahal More Attractive for Tourists: Chief Minister Manik Saha

Melaghar, Tripura: The Tripura government is considering new initiatives to make Neermahal, one of the state’s most prominent tourist attractions, more appealing to visitors from India and abroad. Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha announced this while inaugurating the closing ceremony of the three-day Neermahal Water Festival at Rajghat in Melaghar on October 9.

The festival, which began on October 7, concluded with a traditional boat race, locally known as Nouka Baiche, as one of its main attractions. The event celebrated Tripura’s royal heritage, traditional culture and local artistic traditions while promoting tourism and creating economic opportunities for local communities.

Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Manik Saha described Neermahal as a symbol of Tripura’s history, heritage and royal culture. He said the beauty and historical significance of Neermahal extend beyond Tripura and the northeastern region, attracting interest across India and internationally.

The Chief Minister highlighted Neermahal’s importance in the state’s tourism sector and said the government was exploring ways to enhance its appeal. He also stressed that the Neermahal Water Festival should not be viewed merely as an annual celebration but as an opportunity to promote local culture, strengthen tourism and support the livelihoods of people in surrounding areas.

Dr. Saha suggested that the festival could be organised several times a year instead of being restricted to a single annual event. According to him, more frequent celebrations could attract a larger number of visitors, increase economic activity and strengthen Neermahal’s position on the tourism map. He further noted that attracting foreign tourists through such initiatives could provide additional benefits to the local economy.

Higher Education Minister Kishore Barman presided over the closing ceremony and thanked the organising departments and local residents for their cooperation in making the festival successful.

The welcome address was delivered by Sepahijala District Magistrate Dr. Siddharth Shiv Jaiswal. Other dignitaries present included Sepahijala Zila Parishad Sabhadhipati Supriya Das Datta, MLA Tafazzal Hossain, Superintendent of Police Bijoy Debbarma, Mohanbhog Panchayat Samiti Chairman Sribas Bhowmik and Melaghar Municipal Council Chairperson Anamika Ghosh Pal Roy, among others.

During the closing ceremony, prizes were distributed to the winners of the Manasamangal competition, swimming competition and traditional boat race. The first-, second- and third-place winners in the respective competitions received awards from Chief Minister Manik Saha and other dignitaries.

The Neermahal Water Festival once again highlighted the potential of Tripura’s cultural heritage as a driver of tourism and local economic development. The state government’s proposed efforts to enhance the attraction of Neermahal and expand festival activities could create further opportunities for local businesses, artisans and tourism-related services.

Source: ICA