Tent city in Banaras

The Varanasi Development Authority (VDA) is reviving a proposal to establish a ‘Tent City’ on the sandy bed of the Ganges river on the opposite side of the ghats in the holy city.

“The ‘Tent City’ will allow its guests to enjoy the beauty of the mythological Kashi ghats both day and night. While it aims to reduce the burden on hotels, which opt for dynamic pricing due to increased footfall of pilgrims after the redevelopment of Kashi Vishwanath Dham opened in December, it will also be an attraction for locals by giving them a chance to get acquainted with Rann Utsav of Kutch and Konark Tent City,” said Deepak Agrawal, Division Commissioner and VDA Chairman.

Sharing their plan, the officials said that the “tent city” would emerge on an area of 100 hectares and would be equipped with “Swiss cottages” of three categories: Ganga Darshan Villas, premium tents and super luxurious.

Among all, Ganga Darshan Villas will be the grandest with a floor space of 900 square feet. It will be a riverfront air-conditioned living facility with king size bed, lounge, plunge pool, Rajwadi sofa set, dining table and other facilities.