Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday inaugurated the India-Pakistan border viewing point in Nada Bet in Banaskantha district of north Gujarat. The ‘Seema Darshan’ viewing point has been conceived as a tourist attraction and is expected to draw crowds like the Wagah-Atari border complex near Amritsar in Punjab. It has been built by Gujarat Tourism along with the Border Security Force (BSF) at Nada Bet, a stretch of land jutting into a sprawling lake.
The State Tourism Department said in a release: “It offers an opportunity for travellers to see the workings of an army post on the border of India. Some of the activities and sights that will interest the traveller include the retreat ceremony against the backdrop of a glorious orange sunset where the Border Security Force (BSF) jawans put up a gallant show of marching with pride to end another day of guarding the borders.”
The complex includes a weapons display and photo gallery featuring guns, armoured tanks and other sophisticated devices deployed to keep the borders and the inland secure. A camel show is another planned tourist attraction.
In 2018, the Government of Gujarat had mooted the idea to develop a border view point as a tourist destination in Banaskantha. The project has been jointly developed by the State and Central governments with an investment of ₹125 crore.
