In these heritage cities of UP, your auto rides could come with a slice of history

Officials said the initiative has started from the Bundelkhand region, which comprises seven districts in UP — Jhansi, Jalaun, Lalitpur, Hamirpur, Banda, Mahoba, and Chitrakoot. It will soon move to Ayodhya and Varanasi as well.

Officials said so far, about 150 auto, e-rickshaw and taxi drivers have been trained in Jhansi to be “frontline storytellers” of the region, undergoing a special two-day programme conducted by the Manyavar Kanshiram Institute of Tourism Management.

A tourism official explained: “The aim is not a formal narration but conversation and stories that move people. The aim is also to reframe Bundelkhand’s image from being associated with mere drought to that of a region of valour and natural wealth.”

This, officials said, is also part of several initiatives to boost tourism and the state economy. Earlier, the government had also trained boatmen along rivers in cities such as Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Ayodhya to narrate stories of mythology to visitors.

Surge in visitors

Officials said the region has seen an increase in tourist footfall, which led them to explore it from the tourism point of view. With interest in Bundelkhand expanding beyond conventional circuits, the focus now is on sustaining engagement.

According to sources, Jhansi recorded approximately 98 lakh tourist visits in 2024 which increased to around 1.35 crore in 2025.

Lalitpur saw visitor numbers increase from about 46 lakh to 61 lakh during the same period. Chitrakoot, another popular tourist destination in the region connected with Ramayana, witnessed a significant jump from over 1.18 crore visitors in 2024 to over 3.65 crore in 2025.

For drivers, meanwhile, the initiative has brought a sense of recognition.

Sandeep Tiwari (33) from Jhansi told The Indian Express, “I’ve been driving an auto since I was young, ferrying both local and foreign tourists to significant places such as Jhansi fort, Rani Mahal — all within a 15-km radius.”

Sandeep Tiwari (33) from Jhansi is among the auto drivers who underwent training. Express

Asked about the training, he said, “They taught us how to tell stories about these places to Indian and foreign tourists, how to communicate… We hope we get ID cards, which would give us an upper hand while approaching tourists… Hopefully, it will help transform my business as well.”

Officials said the training saw sessions by tourism trainers who focused on communication, courtesy and professional conduct while banking professionals taught drivers about secure digital payment systems, guiding them on safe online transactions.

The training module also covered first aid and emergency response, traffic rules and road safety, cyber fraud awareness.

Sources said some drivers have even requested permits to operate across the Madhya Pradesh side of Bundelkhand, noting that tourists rarely distinguish between state boundaries within a cultural region.

“While it has been decided to provide trained and licenced drivers with ID cards, other issues require higher interventions and are being looked into,” said an officer.

Rebranding Bundelkhand

Tourism Minister Jaiveer Singh said the programme is part of a sustained effort to reposition Bundelkhand as a region defined by history, culture and natural wealth, rather than its long-associated challenges.

Apart from the history, Bundelkhand’s ecological richness is also being brought into focus by popularising events like the ‘Nature and Birds Festival’ in Lalitpur, which is organised on World Wetlands Day, to encourage eco-tourism and biodiversity-based travel, said Singh.

The state government had even showcased Kalinjar Fort in Banda in its tableau at this year’s Republic Day parade — a symbolic attempt to bring Bundelkhand’s architectural legacy onto the national stage.

“Frontline workers are the bridge between policy intent and visitor experience, so initiatives like the Jhansi driver training programme are key to building a professional and organised tourism ecosystem,” said Amrit Abhijat, Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Culture and Religious Affairs.

An official added, “While infrastructure may bring tourists in, it is people that will make them stay and remember the stories. In Bundelkhand, that memory may well begin in an auto ride.”