Uttarakhand tourism department to develop 'Modi circuit' at Corbett reserve

The Uttarakhand tourism department is working on a plan to develop a "Modi circuit" at the Corbett Tiger Reserve, covering the places visited by PM Modi while shooting for a TV programme in 2019

The Uttarakhand tourism department is working on a plan to develop a "Modi circuit" at the Corbett Tiger Reserve, covering the places visited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi while shooting for a television programme in 2019.

Modi had undertaken a slew of adventure activities while shooting for an episode of "Man vs Wild", hosted by Bear Grylls on Discovery channel. During the shoot, Modi and Grylls crossed the Kosi river on a makeshift raft and walked through a tiger trail, with the prime minister holding a spear in his hand.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a big influencer of our times. Places that he visits generate great interest among people," Colonel Ashvini Pundir, Additional CEO of the adventure sports wing of the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board, told PTI on Friday.

He cited the example of a cave at Kedarnath where the prime minister meditated a few years ago. "It became so popular that people started booking it months in advance to visit the place," Pundir said.

The "Modi circuit" will further boost tourism at the Corbett Tiger Reserve, which is already a popular tourist destination, he added.

However, the details of the plan are still being worked out, Pundir said.

The spots inside the reserve visited by Modi and Grylls during the shoot will first be identified. Then it will be seen what arrangements can be made to take tourists to those spots, Pundir said.

The idea of developing a "Modi circuit" in the tiger reserve first came to Uttarakhand Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj during a trip to Croatia, where a "Game of Thrones tour circuit" has been developed for tourists, covering the locations where the popular television series was shot.