Govt tries to stall 'slum tourism'

Explores ways to stop packaged tours to Dharavi.

With tour operators in the city offering foreigners packaged tours of slums like Dharavi, the state government is trying to find ways to stop “slum tourism”. Concerned that such tours would soil Mumbai’s image, the state’s tourism department asked the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), the apex body of the tour operators in the country, for help. The IATO merely shrugged, saying there was no legal provision by which it could take action against the “errant” operator.

“The issue arose when a tour operator called Reality Tours offered a package for foreign tourists in Dharavi. However, there is no legal provision to take action against the operators and we haven’t received any complaints from the residents of Dharavi either,” said a senior official from the tourism department.

In its letter to the government the IATO said: “The government should seek assistance from the local police.” The association also claimed that the operator in question was not a member of the IATO. But an adamant tourism department has also discussed the issue with the Centre. “We will now try to bring in some legal provision to tackle such cases,” said Bhushan Gagrani, Secretary, Tourism Department. 

BJP MLC Madhu Chavan said he would bring a bill in next assembly session demanding a law on such type of tourism. Reality Tours refused to comment on the issue.