AAP govt trying to connect people with Delhi's rich history: Atishi

Delhi Tourism Minister Atishi on Saturday said the AAP government is trying to connect people with the rich history of the national capital.

Atishi, who recently took over as the tourism minister, inaugurated heritage walks at Siri Fort on Saturday.

"We have started the heritage walks from Siri Fort. The (Arvind) Kejriwal government's effort is to connect the people of Delhi with the rich history of the city. New Delhi has so many monuments, so many historical places and we just drive past them. I myself did not know that Siri Fort was a university. It is important to know the history," the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader told PTI.

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Talking about her priorities as the tourism minister, Atishi said she wants to introduce policies that aim at "connecting all the experiences" of a tourist in Delhi.

"The biggest lacuna is that there is no experience to connect (the entire visit of a tourist). Our priority is to bring such policies that connect all the experiences of a tourist in Delhi," she said.

Some of the heritage walks will be -- "Dekho Apna CP" (Connaught Place and nearby areas), "Dilli Ka Dil Dekho" (central Delhi, near Kartavya Path), "Heritage Walk at Shahjahanabad" (Old Delhi), "Food Walk" (Old Delhi), "Heritage Walk at Hauz Khas", "Heritage Walk of Qutub Minar and Mehrauli Archaeological Park".

Each walk will be led by a "walk conductor" or a guide licensed by the Union Ministry of Tourism.

According to an official, the Delhi tourism department wants to promote the wonders of the city -- its heritage, art and craft, the diverse cuisine and culture -- through these walks.

"Heritage walks create a positive impact on tourism, enhance the brand value of the city and project its culture. A unique way of experiencing the heritage of any area is to walk through the route with the help of a good interpreter," the official said.