20 spots in Mumbai will be brushed up for tourism

Maharashtra state tourism department has directed its urban planning authorities to fix the responsibility of the 20 odd tourist spots in city and its suburbs to provide tourist-friendly facilities. If the plan comes through, Gilbert Hill, the heritage site at Andheri will get a rope-way and Juhu and Versova beaches may see adventure activities like para-sailing.

Tourism minister Chhagan Bhujbal reviewed the status of the tourism spots including Gilber Hill, Mahakali and Canheri caves, beaches at Madh, Juhu, Band stand and Sanjay Gandhi National Park on Thursday. Officials from the BMC, collector’s offices, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation, MMRDA attended the meeting.

The minister said that the spots do not have basic facilities like toilets, parking and failed to attract the tourist. The agencies need to have better co-ordination between themselves, he advised.

The agencies now have been directed to appoint a consulting agency to chalk out a development plan for comprehensive development of the spots. A co-ordination committee also has been set up, under the chairmanship of the municipal commissioner, for the implementation of development plan. The minister has directed the committee to fix the responsibility of each of the spot to the agencies so that the tourist-friendly environment was created.

Bhujbal has also directed the authorities to remove the encroachments from the Gilbert Hills and review the possibility of constructing a rope way. He has asked the authorities to permit para-sailing activities at Juhu beach.