A special meeting was conducted at the government residence, Meghdoot, in Mumbai under the chairmanship of the Hon. Minister for Tourism, Shambhuraj Desai. The meeting aimed to accelerate the development of the ambitious tourism project initiated by Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL, Taj Group) at Shiroda-Velaghar in Sindhudurg district.
The meeting was also graced by the presence of the Hon. Minister of State for Fisheries & Ports, Nitesh Rane, the Hon. MLA from Sawantwadi, Deepak Kesarkar, Principal Secretary, Department of Tourism, Sanjay Khandare (IAS), the Managing Director of the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation, Neelesh Ramesh Gatne (IAS), Deputy Secretary & Joint Director, Directorate of Tourism, Vijay Powar, and other officials from the Indian Hotels Company Limited, and some local villagers. Along with these, the District Collector of Sindhudurg was also present via Video Conferencing.
Around 52.63 hectares of land have been procured for the project in Shiroda-Velaghar. The land acquisition process faced some setbacks earlier, raising apprehensions about compensation for local farmers. However, recognising this problem, the State Government has given in-principle approval for a special compensation deal, and the process of signing a supplementary agreement among the local farmers, Taj Group, and the State Government has already been initiated.
The Hon. Tourism Minister gave clear instructions to ensure that the payout to the local landowners for the acquisition of their land for the project is made at the earliest, in two phases. He further added that a tripartite agreement will be signed in the near future among the local villagers, Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL – Taj Group), and the Maharashtra Tourism Department. This agreement will create a clear and structured framework that ensures the rights of the local residents and employment, and that the project is executed fairly.
On this occasion, Hon. Minister of Fisheries and Ports, Nitesh Rane, also expressed, “His special thanks to Hon. Minister of Tourism, Shambhuraj Desai. He pointed out that, due to Minister Desai’s concerted efforts, the long-pending project is now back on track and will greatly help the development of Sindhudurg’s first Five-Star hotel. He also urged the people of Sindhudurg, through Hon. MLA Deepak Kesarkar, to give their wholehearted support to this grand tourism venture.”
After the completion of this project, the tourism sector in the Sindhudurg district is expected to receive a boost, and more jobs will be created for the youth. Based on this fact alone, the need for cooperation and support from local residents in implementing the tourism project was reiterated.
