Integrated wildlife protected zone and international-standard tourism facilities on the anvil
To reinforce the city's green lung and provide better facilities to tourists, the state government is planning to develop an integrated wildlife protected zone and international-standard tourism facilities at Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in Mumbai.
Finance minister Sudhir Mungatiwar, who is also in charge of the forest portfolio, told dna that like the SGNP, they would also develop such facilities at the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve and Gorewada zoological park at Nagpur. This will be on the lines of Maasai Mara national reserve in Kenya.
"We will develop international-standard forest tourism here... the project will be completed in four years," said Mungantiwar, adding that a team of forest officers was studying the models to be adopted for the long-pending project.
The is the largest such park within city limits in the world, spread over an area of 104 sq km spanning parts of the Mumbai (suburban), Palghar and Thane districts. It also houses the Buddhist-era Kanheri caves, which date to between the first century BC and ninth century AD, and the Tulsi and Vihar lakes which supply water to Mumbai.
"We will provide accommodation facilities, nature and forest trails, adequate security, battery-operated vehicles for travel and adventure tourism facilities. We will also involve the private sector in this.
Developing these three places will cost around Rs2,500 crore of which the government will spend around Rs500 to Rs700 crore on developing infrastructure with the PPP partner pitching in with the rest," said Mungantiwar.
The forest department will hire consultants to chalk out a development plan, added Mungantiwar, stating that the objective was to increase tourism in the area. Bio-digester toilets for tourists on jungle safaris, seaplane facilities, tents for people to stay in and cultural programmes are also on the anvil. Revenues will be raised via ticketing.
Mungantiwar pointed out that the SNGP was a rich repository of bio-diversity with a variety of plant, mammal, bird, reptile and amphibian species. Moreover, the SGNP had around 170 types of butterflies, more than the number found in some countries, he noted.
Environmentalist Vidya Athreya welcomed the plans. "The SGNP has been neglected for years. Funds coming in will help," she noted.
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