Maharashtra's ambitious sea world plan in jeopardy as locals refuse to give up land

Mumbai: Even as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis led BJP government has scaled down the quantum of land to be acquired for the country’s first sea world project in the Sindhudurg district of coastal Maharashtra to less than a fourth of its original size of 1390 acres, the locals have made a decision they they will not give any land towards the project.

Last week, Fadnavis convened a meeting of the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) and directed them to begin acquiring around 300 acres of land for the project, which seeks to create a water-themed amusement park, oceanarium, underwater film studio, fisheries research institute, convention centre, crafts and arts centre, skill development centre and few tourist resorts.

However, locals from Tondavali village held a meeting on Tuesday and decided that the land would not be given to the state government for the project. “We don’t know how the new government is planning the project on 300 acres when the previous Congress-NCP led government had announced the acquisition of 1400 acres. People fear that their rehabilitation issues won’t be addressed well by the government. It should listen to our views on the project and also apprise us about its plan,” said Ashish Patil, a local from Tondivli village in Malvan tehsil.

“We are curious to see how this government is planning the project only on 300 acres. We feel that the project will not only benefit the Sindhudurg district but also the state as whole. But, it shouldn’t be a namesake project and major components shouldn’t be excluded from it,” said Nitesh Rane, an MLA from Kankavli and son of senior congress leader Narayan Rane, who attempted to push for the project.

The project, which is modeled on water-theme amusement parks in the US, was first approved in 2009 by the previous Congress-NCP government. Subsequently, it had announced the acquisition of 1,390 acres land for the project but could not begin work on it due to vehement opposition by villagers.

Officials said that the project, at Tondavali-Vayangani at Malvan, about 550 kms from Mumbai, is ideal for a Sea World type project, as it has 13 km of virgin beaches. The Science and Technology Park has been asked to submit a report on techno economic feasibility in two months.

“After its report, the details about the exact cost and time period to complete the project will be known. The project in the coastal region will give tourism a fillip, boost the regional economy, and provide visitors with a world-class experience in the form of a recreation destination,” Parag Jain, Managing Director of MTDC, which is executing the project, said.

Jain further said that the project would be based on a Private Public Partnership (PPP) model while the MTDC would provide infrastructure such as roads, electricity, water, drainage and the like. The state has approved the project and assist in viability gap funding.

“Though we are now planning the project in around 300 acres from its original earmarked size of 1390 acres, we are not excluding any of its components. Earlier, it was planned to have the facilities at a distance but now it has decided to put together which is why the land requirement has reduced,” Jain explained.

Earlier, the State Government had entrusted the task of preparing a technical feasibility report to a committee of experts headed by headed by Rajendra Jagdale that stated about 200 acres would be required for the project.