Committed to Boosting Tourism in Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, and Khandati Valley – Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde

Satara : Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde stated that the government is committed to increasing tourism in the Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, and Khandati Valley region with the main goal of providing employment to the local residents.

A review meeting was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister Shinde to discuss the ongoing and proposed tourism projects in the Tapola, Koyna, and Mahabaleshwar areas. The meeting was attended by Additional District Collector Jeevan Galande, Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Parishad Yashini Nagrajan, Police Superintendent Sameer Sheikh, Assistant Conservator of Forests Aditi Bhardwaj, Executive Engineer of Public Works Department Santosh Rokade, Chief Engineer of Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) Mr. Vasaikar, Chief Engineer of Irrigation Department Arun Naik, District Planning Officer Shashikant Mali, Deputy Director of Sahyadri Tiger Project (Reserved) Karad Kiran Jagtap, Additional Manager of MTDC Mosheini Kose, and various officers from departments along with the tehsildars of Mahabaleshwar, Patan, and Jawali.

Deputy Chief Minister Shinde said, “Tourists visiting Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, and Khandati Valley face traffic congestion and parking issues. We need to find a solution to alleviate these problems for tourists. Parking facilities for 300 vehicles will be developed near the ST depots in Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar. Moreover, to streamline the toll collection system, we should implement a fast-tag system for vehicles to ensure convenience for visitors.”

He further suggested setting up an office of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation in Mahabaleshwar and granting adequate powers to local officers. Shinde also recommended conducting an immediate drone survey of new tourist destinations to facilitate infrastructure development. For promoting tourism, heli-pads should be arranged at key tourist spots to support helicopter rides, given the potential for a large influx of visitors. He urged that work on the ropeway from Tapola to Uttreshwar be expedited.

Shinde also emphasized starting houseboats without polluting the water, as it would generate employment for locals. He recommended that Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) and Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) collaborate to create high-quality tents for tourists to stay in, providing more job opportunities for the local population.

On bamboo cultivation, Shinde mentioned that each bamboo plant receives a subsidy of 175 rupees, and farmers should focus on bamboo farming and other fruit crops to benefit from subsidies up to 7 lakhs per hectare over three years. During the meeting, a review of the water supply schemes and submerged check dams in 105 villages of Mahabaleshwar was also conducted. Shinde instructed that priority should be given to removing silt from the Koyna Dam as the water levels continue to decrease.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Visit to Koyna Water Tourism Center in Munawale

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the Koyna Water Tourism Center in Munawale, where he was briefed about the ongoing and proposed projects. Local residents presented their issues during the visit. Shinde assured that when developing tourism projects, priority would be given to providing employment for the local community.