Benital to be transformed into an Astro-Village

~Parishka Gupta

A star-gazers paradise, Benital is located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand and is about

to hit the big time, as it is being developed as an Astro village. An initiative to promote

Astro-tourism, Benital also help an “Astro-party” this month to mark the wondrous occasion.

A first of its kind, this Astro-party invited people to spend some leisure time with the

heavenly constellations and planets.

As an Astro-village, Benital will allow its guests to have a close-up view of planets,

astronomical events and stars, aided by night-domes and gigantic telescopes. The Tourism

Department is now working on other facilities for the tourists like constructing cottages,

restaurants, tent platforms and parking lots.

District Magistrate Himanshu Khurana has recently submitted a report of the survey of the area. Himanshu Khurana has also stated that the minimal light pollution and disturbance is what makes Benital the ideal destination for an Astro-Village. The significant landscape is also a vital factor.

Benital is somewhat of an untainted spot, apparently preserved by the heavens. Word on the

grapevine says that the sights of the Benital sky are nothing less than breathtaking.

With a total of 5 crores being invested in this project, the Chamoli administrative department is holding high hopes as they anticipate attracting fat crowds of tourists very soon.