Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday inaugurated the Saleran Dam eco-tourism project, marking a renewed push towards sustainable tourism and green development in the state. Built at a cost of ₹2.80 crore, the project is aimed at attracting nature enthusiasts while creating employment opportunities and generating revenue for the state.
The Saleran Dam tourism site includes four eco-friendly tree house huts two for families and two for couples along with a cafeteria that can accommodate 80 visitors, a children’s playground and boating facilities, which will be introduced in the coming days. The Chief Minister said all necessary safety measures have been incorporated into the project design.
Eco-Tourism Expansion Around Small Dams and Forest Assets
Highlighting the dam’s strategic location, Mann said Saleran Dam lies just three metres below the Shahpur Kandi Dam and expressed confidence that it would replicate the success of the Chohal Dam tourism project in Hoshiarpur. He said Chohal has already emerged as a popular destination and added that he would be staying there on the eve of Republic Day before unfurling the national flag in Hoshiarpur.
The project has been jointly developed by the Tourism Department and the Forest Department, reflecting the government’s focus on eco-tourism. Mann said that 52 rest houses that were earlier lying in a dilapidated state have been renovated and made operational, generating nearly ₹1 crore in revenue. At present, 75 rest houses are functional across Punjab, with plans to convert more small dams into eco-tourism hubs as public interest in nature-based destinations continues to grow.
Infrastructure, Employment and Governance Highlights
Taking a dig at previous governments, the Chief Minister alleged that earlier regimes handed over prime tourism assets to private interests. He said the current government is developing public infrastructure such as the Nadampur Canal and plans to transform areas like Ropar and Sirhind into government-run tourism and revenue-generating destinations.
Recalling his time as a Member of Parliament, Mann said Chohal was once in a neglected condition, and its transformation into a tourism hotspot with open kitchens, tree huts, jungle safaris and eco-activities reflects the government’s commitment to long-term development. Similar projects are underway in Amritsar, while Chamrod Lake in Pathankot is being developed as a destination for film shoots, pre-wedding shoots and weddings, creating indirect employment.
Addressing broader governance issues, Mann said his government has focused on delivery from day one, citing initiatives such as Mohalla Clinics, employment generation, zero power bills and health insurance coverage. He said government employees and pensioners are also covered under the ₹10-lakh Sehat Bima Yojana.
The Chief Minister highlighted infrastructure achievements, including the construction of 43,000 km of roads, and credited the Sadak Surakhya Force for a 48 per cent reduction in road accident deaths. He also said canal water has been brought to regions that had remained dry for decades, improving agricultural conditions.
On agriculture, Mann said the area under horticulture would be expanded from the current 6 per cent to 15 per cent under a Japanese collaboration project. He also said Punjab has become the first state in the country to install an anti-drone system using state funds and reiterated the government’s crackdown on gangsters, drug networks and illegal kite strings.