Disneyland in Gurgaon: Haryana CM says talks on for India's first Mickey Mouse & Co park near Manesar
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Strategic location near KMP Expressway
Disneyland plan may bring wide-ranging benefits
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Plans to boost other tourist events too
Past attempts and political response
Gurgaon may soon become home to India's first Disneyland amusement park. Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday said the state government is in talks with Disney officials and has identified 500 acres of land near Pachgaon Chowk in Manesar for the project, a TOI report stated.After a meeting with Union culture and tourism minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in Delhi, the CM said the planned amusement park would be a significant boost to the region's tourism and economy. 'The project will generate thousands of direct and indirect employment opportunities and bring major changes to the area. It will attract international tourists too,' Saini said.Saini said Gurgaon was selected as the location because of its economic importance and infrastructure. 'The upcoming Global City project in Gurgaon will be another milestone for the region. Hence, Gurgaon is the most suitable location for Disneyland. The site in Manesar is strategically located along KMP Expressway and Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor (HORC). People from across NCR can easily visit,' he said.The Global City project is a 1,000-acre planned mini-city spread across sectors 36, 36B, 37 and 37B. It will include links to Delhi-Gurgaon and Dwarka expressways, and follow a walk-to-work model with access to all essential services.The CM said the Disneyland-style entertainment hub would deliver economic, cultural, and social benefits to both the state and the country. 'The project will generate thousands of direct and indirect employment opportunities and bring major changes to the area,' he said.If it materialises, this will be Disney's first amusement park in India developed through official collaboration. In February this year, the Maharashtra government had announced a similar plan for a Disney-themed park in Navi Mumbai.Apart from the Disneyland proposal, Saini said the Haryana government is looking to expand the annual International Gita Mahotsav in Kurukshetra. He added that the popular Surajkund Mela may also be held three times a year.'Considering the popularity of the Surajkund Mela, govt is planning to organise a Diwali mela and a book fair at Surajkund as well… We have also sought support from the Union tourism ministry and the central govt to organise Gita Mahotsav on a grand scale,' he said.A similar proposal was made in 1989 by then Haryana CM Om Prakash Chautala to bring Disneyland to Gurgaon. However, the project was shelved following opposition from political parties and land-owning farmers.On Thursday, INLD national president Abhay Singh Chautala raised questions over the current government's stand. 'BJP was supporting INLD govt in 1989 but it sided with Congress to oppose the project back then,' Abhay said.
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