UP govt to install solar panels on hotels, guest houses under Tourism Dept

Survey begins to install solar panels on 40 hotels of UP State Tourism Corporation

The Uttar Pradesh government will install solar panels on hotels and guest houses under the Tourism Department. The Non-Conventional Energy Development Authority (NEDA) has been directed to set up solar energy plants in the hotels run by the tourism corporation. 

NEDA has begun a survey and is likely to install the solar panels on 40 hotels of UP State Tourism Corporation (UPSTC). The state government may provide funds for this purpose in the supplementary budget likely to be tabled this month in the monsoon session of the assembly.

According to an NEDA engineer: "the move is aimed at minimising pollution and providing clean and green energy. Each hotel of corporation will have solar panels of different capacities depending upon the number of rooms and electricity usage."

The UPSTC has hotels in all prominent tourist spots in UP and a majority of them are situated in the Buddha circuit covering Shrawasti, Kapilvastu, Sarnath, and Kushinagar. The use of solar energy will not only provide clean and green energy but also reduce the electricity bills incurred on these units.

According to the officials of the Tourism Department, "every year a large number of foreign tourists from Korea, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar and Bhutan visit places under the Buddha circuit. However, due to the electricity problem, most of them prefer to stay in private hotels. After providing uninterrupted solar energy the footfall of foreign tourists will increase in UPSTC hotels and it will contribute to the state coffers."

It may be mentioned that to promote green energy the UP government has already announced solar policy. The state government has started installing solar panels on big office buildings. In Varanasi, a survey has been conducted to set up rooftop solar panels in each police station.