Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 14

To promote Uttarakhand as winter tourist destination, an international ski race event will be held in January at Auli. This was announced by Tourism Secretary Meenakshi Sundaram here today.

“Two skiing race events will be held between January 15 and January 21. The final date of the event will be announced shortly. International skiers will participate in the event to be hosted by the Winter Games Federation of India,” said Meenakshi Sundaram, while speaking to mediapersons.

He said the slope at Auli had been selected as the best slope by the Federation of Indian Skiing for the period 2009-2019. “After the winter SAF games we have not been able to host other major events. This upcoming event in January next year has come as a godsend opportunity to promote Auli and Uttarakhand as winter destinations,” said Sundaram.

Further, the state government will only provide infrastructure for the event.

“France has agreed to develop Auli and Gorson in Joshimath as ideal ski resorts, for which discussion was held with French Ambassador Alexandre Ziegler yesterday,” said Sundaram. The ambassador had said that Chamonix Valley of France and Chamoli in Uttarakhand will promote each other as winter destinations.

Gorson, which is located at a height of 12,000 feet, can host eight types of races that are coveted by international skiers. “As of now the ITBP Skiing Training Institute is stationed there and it holds annual skiing events,” he said.

The Secretary Tourism said the Centre had also decided to release Rs 150 crore for developing Lakha Mandal (Chakrata) as Mahabharat circuit. “Another Rs 40 crore have been sanctioned under the Centre’s Prasadam Scheme for beautification, and construction of toilets and pathways at Badrinath, he said.

About Auli, Gorson