MoU Signed Between Shiroda-Velagar Landowners’ Cooperative Society and Taj Group in Presence of Chief Minister
Mumbai, August 2026 : An important step has been taken to accelerate tourism development at Shiroda-Velagar in Sindhudurg district, with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), M/s Indian Hotels Company Ltd. (Taj Group), and the Shiroda-Velagar Landowners’ Cooperative Society Limited.
The MoU was signed at the Cabinet Hall of Mantralaya in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Ajit Pawar, Tourism Minister Shambhuraj Desai, Fisheries Development Minister Nitesh Rane and Minister of State for Tourism Indranil Naik. Several other members of the state Cabinet were also present.
Among those attending the ceremony were Chief Secretary Rajesh Agrawal, Additional Chief Secretary of the Tourism Department Sanjay Khandare, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation Managing Director Nilesh Gatne, MTDC Senior Manager Sanjay Dhekane, Indian Hotels Company/Taj Group CEO Puneet Chhatwal, Executive Vice-President Rajendra Mishra and representatives of the Shiroda-Velagar Landowners’ Cooperative Society.
The agreement places particular emphasis on protecting the interests of the local community while facilitating the tourism project. As part of the arrangement, the stalls of 23 existing stallholders in the project area will be relocated to the picnic spot and parking area.
The government and the project proponents will also give priority to eligible local residents affected by the project while providing employment opportunities. The Taj Group will undertake or support skill development and training programmes aimed at improving the employability of local youth and enabling them to benefit from employment opportunities generated by the tourism project.
The development of the Shiroda-Velagar tourism project is expected to significantly enhance Sindhudurg's tourism potential while providing a boost to the local economy, employment generation and skill development.
The state government has emphasised that implementation of the project will be undertaken while ensuring active participation of the local community and safeguarding its interests. The initiative is expected to create new opportunities for residents and strengthen the region's position as an important tourism destination in Maharashtra.
The state government had earlier granted approval on June 30, 2026, for entering into an agreement with M/s Indian Hotels Company Ltd. (Taj Group) for the development of the project.
The signing of the MoU marks a significant step towards translating the proposed tourism development at Shiroda-Velagar into reality and strengthening Maharashtra's tourism infrastructure through collaboration between the government, the private sector and local stakeholders.
