Tata Group to set up 5-star tourist centre in Sindhudurg

The Maharashtra Tourism Development Company (MTDC) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Tata Group-backed Indian Hotels Company to hand over 54.4 hectare of land in Konkan’s Sindhudurg district on a 90-year lease for setting up of a five-star tourist centre.

The company is expected to invest Rs 100 crore in the first phase to build the tourist centre in the Shiroda Velagar village. The centre, which is likely to be completed in three years, would attract domestic and international tourists and generate employment and boost the economy of Sindhudurg.

The signing of the MoU comes a month after the state Cabinet took a decision to give the land, which has been acquired by MTDC, on lease to the Taj group.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, in whose presence the MoU was signed, said that investment in the tourism sector needs to be increased and will be encouraged by the government.

Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray said: “Efforts would be made to increase the share of the tourism sector in the state’s GDP in the next six months. We are also attempting to reduce the number of permissions required for the hotel industry as part of ease of doing business.”

Meanwhile, another MoU was signed between the tourism department and Thriving Hotels Private Limited to establish a hotel near Tadoba Tiger Reserve.