The Jharkhand government has decided to enable tourists by introducing them to guided mine tours, and it will be among the first states of India to adopt the concept of mine tourism, in an attempt to diversify its tourism products and obtain the full potential of the tourism industry. Jharkhand is a state that is best known due to the rich mineral deposits that surround it and its industrial scene, but now, the state is taking its bounties underground and offering them to the tourists who seek empowerment and adventure with a kind of history as well.
The project focuses on making some of the operational mines and non-operational mines available to the people with high precautionary measures and professional guidance. The visitor will know how the coal, mica, and other mineral mines work inside, the process of extracting these, the magnitude of industrial mining, as well as handling the machinery and miners involved in the entire process. It is felt that these kinds of tours will not only remind people about the economic significance of mining in that region, but also about the significance of mining in the lives of the people culturally and socially.
In the view of the state officials, such a model of tourism will not just satisfy the needs of those who want to know more about the place but will create job opportunities and evoke economic activity in the adjacent communities. Local guides, hotel employees, transporters, and small businesses will gain a lot from the incoming visitors. The tours will also have educational insight to them, thus it would be a good place to take school and college trips, researchers and even industry professionals.
The authorities have made sure that every tour shall be subject to the stringent safety rules. The guests will also be supplied with helmets, boots and other protective devices and will travel along with the trained staff. The mine sites that are chosen to be the site of the tours will be upgraded to the safety and comfort level by making arrangements for walkways, providing lighting means, information kiosks, etc., as well as emergency response means.
The judgement is also an indication of a larger effort by the state to reinvent its image, from being an industrial centre to a balanced tourist spot that boasts a natural charm, an indigenous culture, a rich history, and presently, industrial tourism. The mining towns of Jharkhand that lay neglected as tourist destinations in popular tourist routes may soon find their place back on the tourism map as learning and exploration destinations. The cities with large coal reserve areas, such as Dhanbad, Ramgarh, and Hazaribagh areas are some of the probable places that may lead to this initiative.
Furthermore, to the guided mine tours, the department of tourism is also planning to come up with mine museums, viewing galleries, as well as documentary shows to provide a better experience to the visitor. There are plans to put up bundled packages that include the local attractions like the waterfalls, wildlife sanctuary, tribal villages and traditional art workshops so tourists get a wholesome feel of every colour of the state.
Mine tourism is one of the steps in the realization of sustainable tourism in Jharkhand, because mine tourism not only provides an experience of reliving the industrial heritage of Jharkhand, but it also guarantees the trickle of these tourism benefits to communities which has hitherto existed in the background of mining operations. Should it succeed, then this model can be used as a prototype for other mineral-rich states of India, establishing a new course in experiential travel. By doing this, Jharkhand is converting her darkest to her shining new attraction.
