Maharashtra allots land to Taj Hotels to develop tourism centre

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government has decided to allot land, measuring 54.40 hectares in Sindhudurg to Indian Hotels Company Limited, which runs the Taj Hotels, to construct a  five-star tourism centre. The project has been stuck for over 25 years.

The land has been given at a 90-year lease for the construction of cottages in Vengurla, part of Sindhudurg, for tourism development.

 The proposal of the allotment of land for the construction of the hotel to the leading players in the hotel industry was taken after the state government announced Sindhudurg as a tourism district more than two decades ago. After a decision of allotting land to the Taj Group was taken in 1994, the land was acquired in stages till 1998 by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC). Part of the land is in the group’s possession, while it has been pushing for possession of the remaining land.

The state cabinet decided to hand over the remaining part of the plot, which is a connecting track of land to other two plots handed over to the company. “The plot is allotted at the nominal lease rent of ₹1 and a premium of 110% of the existing ready reckoner rate will be applicable on it,” said an official from the revenue department.

“The state government intends to promote tourism and attract foreign tourists landing in adjoining Goa. Under the tourism promotion scheme there were few more leading hotels who had been allotted the land, but they have opted out from the scheme. We expect the Taj Hotels group to construct the cottages and resorts in Vengurla at the earliest,” said an official from the tourism department.

The official said that the part of the plot comes under CRZ-I and construction on it would not be allowed, while the remaining part of the plot can have cottage-type structures.