Chandigarh wants to remain a city of 'babus' and doesn't want tourists flocking here from far and wide.

While shooting down a proposal for setting up of a world-class aquarium near Sukhna Lake, the master plan committee "opined that the city was basically an administrative city and encouraging more tourists will further burden the city's infrastructure".

The views of the committee, tasked with giving a vision to the city's future growth till year 2031, were put on record in the minutes of its 21st meeting as per a report in TOI by Vibhor Mohan.

"An activity like aquarium does not match the local atmosphere of the city. Moreover, Chandigarh is not located near any large water body or sea and this activity does not seem compatible with the local conditions. But the forest department representative brought out that it will be first of its kind in the country and will help in attracting tourists," added the committee.

The aquarium has been conceptualized with dolphins and a large variety of ornamental fish.

This is in sharp contrast to the tall claims of tourism department that the administration is committed to taking effective steps to make city a tourist destination. The number of domestic tourists went up to 9,14,742 and 37,967 foreign tourists came to the city in 2009 against 9,08,569 local and 34,762 foreigners in 2008.

Since most tourists prefer to treat Chandigarh as a transit point before they hit the hills, plans are afoot to promote MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) tourism, apart from showcasing Corbusier's architectural masterpieces in Capitol Complex, Rock Garden and Sukhna Lake.

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