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Bed and Breakfast scheme in Chandigarh
by Sunil Sharma

     Chandigarh: To promote the city as a major tourist destination, Chandigarh administration has introduced a special `Bed and Breakfast' scheme to provide budget accommodation to tourists along with a family environment. Chandigarh happens to the second place beside Delhi to have offered such a scheme. The registered homes under this scheme offer adequate space to the guests, including quality food prepared in hygienic conditions and proper sleeping arrangements. "This service part is excellent because all the houses are having maids and servants serving to guests, so that guests feel at home. They will be given all the types of comfort so that the name and fame of the Chandigarh tourism and Chandigarh as a whole should be in the entire world," said Vinod Kaliya, Deputy Director of the Chandigarh tourism. "Although Chandigarh is at world map because of the La Corbusier design but even the people whole are coming in to the city in future, they are going to have this accommodation, which would be hit," Kaliya added. Under this scheme, a double bed room with an attached bathroom is provided at 20 dollars to foreign tourists. Arora's family in Chandigarh are a host to guests from Israel under the Bed and Breakfast Scheme. Kuldeep Arora of the host family said: "Our children are settled in Australia and we are living alone in this house. We wanted to have interaction with the outside world and to do some business. We are feeling nice to be part of the Bed and Breakfast Scheme." For Israeli tourists like the Ornoys, it's economical and comfortable to enjoy Indian hospitality under this special scheme. "Of course the rates of rooms as one of the reasons we are here. Once you roam with your family then you have to look on your budget also. Especially in the cases like this when we are here in India since last two months and would be here for next two months also. The rates are far less than the expensive average hotels here in Chandigarh," said Eitan Ornoy, the Israeli tourist.

     Smarda Ornoy, another tourist, said: "We stayed in various guesthouses and hotels. This is the first time when we are living in a real Indian house. This morning I did laundry also with my owner of this B&B scheme. It was really fascinating just to see how they make everything. For us everything is really new." The government at the Centre has given a go ahead to the Bed and Breakfast Scheme of the Chandigarh Administration and it has come as a boon for foreign tourists who do not have any corporate or institutional support. As of now 36 homes have been finalized for the Bed and Breakfast Scheme. On an average 25,000 foreign tourists visit the city annually. There are a number of inquiries about budget accommodation for a night, as the city is the gateway to Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. India's best-planned city, with its world-renowned architecture and quality of life, makes Chandigarh unique. Serenity and a city are two diametrically opposite concepts, which however, come together in the `City Beautiful'. Chandigarh is a rare epitome of modernization co-existing with nature's preservation.
-Sep 12,  2008