Maharashtra

Located on the western coast of India abutting the Arabian Sea lies Maharashtra. Replete with virgin beaches, exotic wildlife, verdant hills, quaint hill stations, scenic villages, coastal forts, caves and cave temples, there is much more to Maharashtra than meets the eye. Apart from the few destinations which have been high on the popularity charts to the extent of being over-exposed, there are several other interesting regions waiting to take centre stage.

Treading The Eco-Trail

Realising the potential of eco-tourism as a revenue raker for the state, tourist attractions ranging from forts, caves, hill stations, beaches, pilgrimage centres, forest reserves and wildlife sanctuaries are being developed keeping ecological considerations in mind. The conservation and development around the world heritage sites, Ajanta and Ellora, follows the principles of eco-tourism. Maharashtra is aggressively marketing itself as a premier global eco-tourism destination. The state tourism board with the help of the state government and NGOs has initiated special eco-tourism ventures to develop and promote the eco-potential of the state to an international clientele.

Focus On Ajanta-Ellora

The state has demarcated regions to promote the concept of eco tourism in the region. Eco tourism ventures have been introduced in areas such as Vidarbha, Sawantwadi, Aurangabad etc. Wild life protection, nature conservation activities, monument upgradation, heritage property restoration, fort improvement and protection are all part of the state's eco tourism initiative. One of the most prominent initiative has been at the Ajanta Ellora site in Aurangabad where a number of programmes have been instituted with eco tourism as the primary focus. The caves are world heritage monuments, which contain paintings and carvings dating back to 200 BC. These monuments attract more than a million tourists every year and are one of the most important tourist destinations in India. The Ajanta caves are about 100 kms from Aurangabad, which acts as the main gateway for the tourists visiting the area. Aurangabad is a well-developed town with industry, commerce and tourism as its principal source of revenue generation. The area has a very large number of tourist attractions comprising ancient caves, outstanding forts, a mausoleum similar to Taj Mahal, museums, unique handicraft industry etc.

The first phase of restoration work undertaken at the Ajanta Ellora caves is a classic example in which Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) submitted a plan for restoration of the area in and around the two heritage sites to the government of India. This proposal was then submitted to the Government of Japan. The Japanese Bank of International Cooperation and the Government of Maharashtra jointly funded the restoration plan.

Detailed scientific investigations were carried out by the Geological Survey of India at Ajanta and Ellora caves and based on their report a site management plan which included conservation, was carried out. The conservation work included protection of the rock mass, prevention of water seepage, slope stability, surface water management, landscaping of the adjoining region and development of a circulation plan. The conservation work being carried out at the caves has set standards in cave protection and visitor management system for ancient monuments in the country.

A scenic pathway from the Ajanta view-point to the foot of caves was planned which provides a panoramic view of caves to visitors. The afforestation work of Phase I was started immediately after signing the loan agreement and afforestation of about 180 hectares of forest was carried out by the first year and the remaining portion of 737 hectares was taken up for afforestation in the next two seasons. Afforestation has provided the following benefits:

• Forest walkways and nature walks
• Improved vegetation cover, which will prevent the soil erosion highly prevalent in the area.
• Provision of leisure and picnicking places to tourists near the monuments
• Bringing down the NO, CO2, and dust particle counts much below the permissible limits.
• Raising the ground water level. Roads leading to the Ajanta and Ellora caves from Aurangabad, which is the main gateway for tourism activities in the region, were improved. Improvement of some small roads surrounding the caves was also included. The improvement of these roads resulted in a drastic reduction of vehicular population near Ellora caves and smooth and easy flow of tourist traffic from Aurangabad to Ajanta (15 kms) and Ellora (25 kms)
• Two lane roads for all tourist destinations in the region
• Black topped roads in the Ellora caves complex for ease of vehicular movement. International grade highway and direction signage

The water supply scheme for the cave areas and the tourist complexes will be developed in Phase II. The water sources for Ajanta and Ellora are the Tondapur dam and Khultabad water system respectively. The benefits from the scheme are as follows:

• Availability of water of international hygiene standard
• Adequate water supply catered for tourist traffic till 2020
• Water supply available for maintaining the landscaping and gardens
• There will be no open drainage which would impinge on the hygiene of the area near the monuments.

The package was planned to supply power to the tourist complexes and caves. For Ajanta, upgrading the Fardapur sub-station and installation of transmission lines from Pahur sub-station with 20.5 km length was based on the power demand of 6394 kw. For Ellora, upgrading the Ellora sub-station and installation of transmission line from Khultabad sub-station to Ellora and Daulatabad with a total length of 28 kms was based on the estimated demand of 860 km. At both the sites the existing sub-stations were augmented with additional power transformers and associated control switch gear.

In a bid to protect the world heritage site, (MTDC) has introduced special, pollution free luxury buses (5 AC and 5 Non-AC) on the 2.5 kms along stretch of the Ajanta tour that begins at Fardapur. The MTDC authorities have also banned the use of all other vehicles in the area. The entire exercise is expected to reduce the vehicular traffic and pollution in the surrounding areas of the Ajanta caves. No vehicles are allowed to park near the caves making the entire surrounding area eco-friendly and pollution free.

The monument conservation programme practiced at Ajanta Ellora would also be carried out at other similar sites with time. Karla, Elephanta etc would be part of this initiative.

Greener Pastures

The state government in a bid to concentrate effectively on eco-tourism, heritage and convention centres, has invited private participation from both domestic and foreign investors.

In the same vein, the Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) Ltd has appointed the Indian Society for Environment, Art and Cultural Heritage (Indsearch) to conduct eco-tours in the vicinity of the forests in Maharashtra. There is excellent potential for eco-tourism since Maharashtra has an estimated forest cover of more than 103 square kilometres. The FDCM along with the forest department of Maharashtra plans to utilise the existing available infrastructure for the development of eco-tourism along with Indsearch, who will conduct guided tours in various forests, sanctuaries and wildlife areas besides organising nature camps, rural tours, outdoor management development programmes for the corporate sector.

Packaging Adventure And The Wild West

The Sahyadri range offers plenty of opportunity for trekking, hiking and rock climbing. There are a number of interesting mountain-top forts, a window to the hey-day of the reign of the Marathas, part of the rich historical legacy of the state. MTDC has taken steps for the promotion of adventure and wildlife tourism in the state, especially in the Nagpur belt. It has joined hands with the neighbouring Madhya Pradesh government towards the same. Madhya Pradesh (MP) is the leading state as far as wildlife tourism is concerned. Though Kanha and Bandhavgarh tiger sanctuaries in MP are world renowned, Maharashtra has Tadoba and Melghat which are bigger tiger sanctuaries but they have not been developed and marketed strongly. There are many other sanctuaries and pockets of thickly forested areas in the state which could be developed and promoted as adventure and wildlife tourism zones.

A jungle lodge has been developed by MTDC at Tadoba, close to Nagpur. The entire ambience there is in tune with the spirit of nature and it's a conscious effort on the part of MTDC to move on to the path of wildlife tourism.

Scaling New Heights With Fort Tourism

MTDC has set out a plan to promote fort tourism in the state. Various forts, especially in the western Maharashtra region, which were built and used by Shivaji, have been identified as prospective areas of interest for tourism. The proposal of drafting a special fort itinerary which will be spread over a period of approximately 15 days is on the anvil. Provisions in the nature of professionals and experts with a specific guided plan along with identified accommodation area will be offered. Fort conservation and protection plans are also being conceptualised by some local NGOs in the region.

Hill Stations

The state has a diverse spread of natural attractions, fauna and flora. The 720 kms long Konkan coastal strip extends eastwards from its estuaries and mangroves, across the majestic mountain ranges of the western ghats and 900 kms inland to the dry, deciduous zones of Vidarbha. The Sahyadri range, a part of these ghats is clothed in evergreen deciduous forests. These picturesque mountain ranges are among the oldest in the world. The Saputara hills along the northern border and the Bhamragad-Chiroli-Gaikhuri ranges along the east, serve as natural limits to the state and still remain virgin as a tourism offering. These hills and mountain ranges offer a number of challenging trekking trails and house abundant wildlife.

The state has some wonderful hill stations. Unfortunately only a few have been really developed and publicised while the rest are languishing in obscurity. Amongst the more popular hill stations are Matheran, Mahabaleshwar and Lonavala, whilst Amboli near Sawantwadi on the Goa border, Malshej ghat near Mumbai and Panhala near Kolhapur are relatively unexplored hill retreats. Chikaldhara, another pristine hill station has not been fully exploited due to its geographic distance from the Mumbai, the gateway to Maharashtra. This destination houses the Pench Tiger Reserve.

Hill Station Protection Plan: Matheran and Mahabaleshwar, two of the most well known and highly populous hill stations of Maharashtra have been facing severe environmental abuse due to too much human interface. Though Matheran has been protected with a ban on vehicular traffic in the region, ruthless cutting down of trees have led to a total ecological disturbance in the hill station. The Supreme Court of India has declared both the hill stations as eco-friendly zones and all constructions in the area have been put on an indefinite standstill to protect the region from further environmental damage.

Rural And Beach Initiatives

The state has also introduced 'rustic valley tours' in the area close to Lonavala with the help of an NGO. The focus is to stimulate and help sustainable local women's enterprises in the tourism sector, in keeping with the local culture and natural environment. Educating the visitors on nature, tradition, agriculture, rural development etc is part of the village tourism promotion plan.

Meanwhile, the Sawantwadi Eco Tourism Plan also emphasises on developing Sawantwadi as a complete eco tourism zone. Efforts have been taken by the Sawantwadi municipal council, along with the support of Rachana Sansad's Institute of Environmental Architecture, government of Maharashtra and MTDC to develop Sawantwadi region as a primary eco zone. The aim is to make the entire Sindhudurg district an eco village and eco tourism centre. The local arts and crafts will be promoted. Ganjifa playing cards and wooden furniture which are painted by natural watercolours made up of different variety of soils, mud and leaves, which is the region's speciality, is being promoted. Eco friendly technology is being incorporated to promote this kind of art. An arts and craft village, Shipagram, is yet another concept which is being developed.

Tarkarli has already evolved as a major destination in the district with Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) setting up a beachfront resort with Konkani style cottages. A new concept of 'houseboat' on the sands with two suites has been introduced. The famous sea fort of Sindhudurg, off the Malvan coast close-by, is a big attraction besides the casurina -lined Tarkarli beach. International cruise liners operating in Indian waters have included Tarkarli as a day-long excursion in their itinerary.

The tourist resort at Ganapatipule, run by Maharashtra tourism, has built Konkani huts so that the tourist gets a taste of the local flavour in accommodation. Another exciting concept introduced by the tourism department is 'Village Tourism' in Hadi.

Environment Awareness and Nature Interpretation Centres

In regions that are thick in flora and fauna, predominantly forests and hills, environment awareness and natural interpretation centres are planned to be set up to study ecological diversities in the region. These centres would cater to the needs of special interest groups such as environmentalists, nature activists, students, locals and others. Vidarbha area, which has around 27 wild life sanctuaries, four national parks along with promising routes for trekking, nature trails etc, would be one of the areas for setting up such a centre. Nature interpretation centres will help provide information about flora and fauna in the region through posters and audio-visuals. A herbarium for medicinal plants, a lepidoptera or a butterfly zoo as well as a mini planetarium for star-gazing would be part of the centre at Sawantwadi. The centre will also serve as a demonstration centre for eco friendly construction technologies as well as for renewable energy, watershed management, water and waste recycling. In the Narendra hills area which is rich in natural fauna and flora, specialised nature trials would be organised by the members of Sawantwadi Eco Development Council with the support of NGOs along with the forest department. The region will have a centre called the Nishi Fondge Environment Awareness Centre which will exhibit photographs and information regarding wildlife in and around Sawantwadi.

Amboli which is an evergreen forest and a place that receives the second highest rainfall in India has been identified as a region for undertaking special eco tourism initiatives. Tadoba, Navegaon National Park, regions in the Sahyadris etc. have also been marked for setting up of such centres.

Lonar Crater

Once upon a time, not very far from Mumbai, a great big chunk of a meteor hurtled down and struck the earth. It is today known to have formed the world's oldest crater on the outskirts of Lonar town in district Buldhana in Maharashtra. This is the only crater in the world created by hypervelocity meteoric impact in basaltic rock. MTDC realised the potential of this crater and has aggressively been promoting Lonar as a major tourist destination. To this end they also set up a 'Crater View Tourist Complex', overlooking the depression in the earth. The crater which is a green depression, perfectly circular and 1.8 km in diameter, is in the middle of a vast plain of parched fields and riverbeds. At the bottom of this grotesquely large bowl lies a still emerald lake. The lake has a high concentration of salt, explaining the absence of fish, and a perennial stream keeps its level constant even in the monsoons. This crater has been attracting international tourists and scientists. The lake is the third largest salt-water lake in the world. Due to its very nature, the region has attracted specialised eco initiatives unique only to Lonar. MTDC is in the process of conducting studies about activities in the region due to the formation of the crater.

New Offerings

The state's 720 kms long coastline has remained relatively undiscovered and unexploited compared to states like Goa and Kerala. Sindhudurg district, which was declared by the Maharashtra government as a 'Tourism District', has some of the best beaches in the state and country. Kunkeshwar, Tarkarli, Deobagh, Vengurla, Mochemad, Shiroda are some of the scenic beaches dotting the coastline of the district. Eco tourism drives and initiatives are being planned along the coastline area. Ganpatipule with the Swayambhoo Ganpati temple on the beach and Bhatye beach in Ratnagiri have also developed as major beach destinations. Others up north like Harihareshwar, Murud Janjira, Kihim, Alibag are already popular while there are a number of other beaches like Murud-Harnai, Velneshwar etc, which have remained relatively undiscovered due to lack of accommodation. NGO's have been active in preserving marine life across the coastal belt of the state. Environment friendly measures are being incorporated to preserve the beaches in the regions.

Traversing The Eco-Trail On The Deccan Odyssey

Promising to take tourists on a journey through a kaleidoscope land and an experience rich with exotic and diverse images, a ‘Pan Maharashtra’ luxury train - The Deccan Odyssey - is on the anvil for which a Memorandum of Understanding has already been signed with the railways. From pristine beaches, to defiant forts, from stories and Gods carved in black monolithic rock, to opulent palaces dedicated to kings, from north to south and one century to another, this luxury train offers to take its passengers on a journey through the kingdom of the Marathas, Maharashtra.

Characterised by luxury, The Deccan Odyssey will sport ten stately theme suites. Facilities and services aboard this luxury train include two tastefully designed lounge and conference cars allowing passengers to mix business with pleasure. Other features comprise of a specialty restaurant, to match the finest India has to offer and an exceptionally well-stocked bar, to contribute to the entire experience of luxury. Passengers will also be able to enjoy on demand - Foreign Exchange facility on board. The eight day itinerary includes several exotic destinations covering the expanse of Maharashtra.

This venture stands to enhance the tourism potential of Maharashtra, being developed on the lines of the Orient Express, by the Integral Coach Factory, Chennai. This 21-coach luxury train will also set a trend in rail conferencing, a new and innovative break through in the field of corporate conferencing.

However, there is a lot more to look out for on board - a gym, beauty shop, yoga centre and ayurvedic treatments. There would also be two restaurants cum kitchen cars that would serve varied local authentic and continental cuisine. A unique feature about the conference coach is that it is designed in a way that it could also be converted into a disco-cum-pub for evening entertainment. MTDC has planned an aggressive marketing campaign and will be show-casing the luxury train in upcoming travel marts abroad.

The train aims to showcase the state’s art, culture and heritage. Development of the Konkan coast on the lines of the French Riviera are new concepts that have been strategised. Promotion of Vipasana and Ayurveda tours, especially at the Vipasana Kendra at Igatpuri near Nashik will be aggressively done to meet the international demand for both the products. Participation in tourism fairs, both national and international, has thus been high on the agenda of the state’s promotional drives.

By Reema Sisodia