Wild ass town turns pink

BRAND DHRANGADHRA

Wild ass town to have pink front

Nayan Dave | TNN 

November 8, 2006
Dhrangadhra: This tiny town, strategically located on the edge of the Little Rann of Kutch and home to the wild ass, has decided to go pink along the lines of Jaipur.
    Going pink stems from a historical reason and an idea of creating ‘Brand Dhrangadhra’ to attract foreign tourists as part of the state-sponsored tourism development year. Numerous heritage buildings here have been made of pink stones by erstwhile rulers of Dhrangadhra.
    Initially, the transformation of the building exteriors has been brought about on Gaurav Path, a stretch from the municipal office building till Green Chowk. A resolution was passed recently by the Dhrangadhra municipality to make the exteriors of all buildings on this road pink. 
The meeting also decided that for new constructions, a pink exterior would be mandatory.
And to ensure that people do not mind the town pink, the local civic body is also planning to give concessions in property tax to home and commercial establishment owners who fall in line.
    Darshana Pujara, president of the Dhrangadhra municipality, said that to begin with, builders will get permission for new constructions only if they ensure that the exterior is going to be pink.
    The proverbial carrot is being offered to people because Pujara says that to achieve the status of a ‘pink town’, voluntary public participation is a must.
    The idea of creating ‘Brand Dhrangadhra’ was floated by urban development, road and building minister as well as MLA of the area, IK Jadeja. “The heritage buildings, constructed with pink stones, and the proximity to the Little Rann of Kutch, known for its majestic Ghudkhar (wild ass), offer an opportunity to build a brand to attract tourists,” Jadeja told TOI. Some like Mukesh Depada, a businessman, like the idea. He switched over to pink for his house because he liked it and not because of the municipal order.

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