Dehradun: Uttarakhand has achieved the unique distinction of being the only tourism hotspot in the world promoting professional rallying in the family format.

With The Second Uttarakhand Adventure Car Rally which was flagged off from Dehradun on Sunday, the mountain state is aggressively promoting family participation in TSD (Time-Speed-Distance) rallying, which is the sober form of motorsport.

The Second Uttarakhand Adventure Car Rally has been organized by Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB) in association with Himalayan Motorsport, the premier Shimla-based motorsport club. Himalayan Motorsport organizes the Raid De Himalaya, one of the top ten toughest rallies in the world.

Uttarakhand Secretary Tourism Mr Uma Kant Panwar said that the state has chosen to combine motorsport with its entire adventure tourism portfolio which includes skiing, white-water rafting, trekking, mountaineering and wildlife photography. “With Himalayan Motorsport as our partner, the rally is organized professionally, adhering to the top standards internationally. At the same time, we are making it a family activity to attract mid and high-end tourists,” said Mr Panwar.

The rally is open to any brand or model of automobile, and has a total of 35 teams. Mr Vijay Parmar, Rally Director for The Second Uttarakhand Adventure Car Rally, said that in TSD rallying, competitors stick to specified speed limits at all times, and go slow in thickly populated areas. The rally moves with the normal traffic and does not cause any traffic disruptions.

Parmar said that a maximum of four persons are allowed in each vehicle. Since the rally is being promoted in the family format, the competitor can be accompanied by the spouse and children aged 16 or above.

Uttarakhand Tourism Minister Dinesh Dhanai, who flagged off the rally today, said tourism is the economic mainstay of the state, and the focus of the rally is on getting tourists back to Uttarakhand after the devastating floods in June 2013. Mr Dhanai said that the rally route has been designed in such a way that it touches some of the favourite tourist destinations of the state like the world-class ski resort at Auli and Ramnagar, which flanks the Jim Corbett National Park.

The rally route goes via Dev Prayag, Karan Prayag, Rudra Prayag and Nand Prayag and also Shivpuri, which draws huge domestic and foreign tourism for white water rafting. The rally will end at Dehradun on Day Three.

Mr Panwar said that with the rally, the state is making a concerted effort to showcase its excellent network of roads, and the picturesque holiday destinations for families and youth alike.

Ms Rekha Mishra, who is competing in the rally along with her husband Mr Sudhanshu Mishra, is among the few competitors this year who are enjoying the activity as a family. Mr Uma Kant Panwar said that the high prize money offered by Uttarakhand for the rally is a major incentive for all competitors.

“The rally offers Rs 5 lakh, Rs 3 lakh and Rs 2 lakh for the top three teams respectively, and a special prize of Rs 1 lakh for the all-women’s team which performs the best. Since TSD rallying involves great technical finesse and is not a speed rally, we are very keen to promote it as an inclusive family activity,” said Mr Panwar.

Uttarakhand Adventure Car Rally is being supported by Maruti Suzuki and JK Tyres. The rally route will cover approximately 1000 kilometers in the state.