Mumbai: BMC dams Shiv Sena (UBT) tourism project

One of the dams in the project was Tansa. File pic

A proposal to develop dams tourism and use the area around them for walks, etc. put up by the earlier Maha Vikas Aghadi government, has been put on hold by the BMC. The Shiv Sena (UBT) project was even announced in the 2021-22 municipal budget by the then civic chief, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, it did not take off.

In the budget speech for the year 2020-21, then Civic Chief Praveen Pardeshi had declared plans for tourism development around the dams that supply water to Mumbai, including Modak Sagar, Tansa and Middle Vaitarna. The concept was to develop a tourism model with Public Private Partnerships. Hospitality partners were to be invited to upgrade, maintain, and manage the BMC guest houses under PPP in compliance with certain requisite conditions. Various activities had been listed under the project like cycling tours, nature trails, bird watching, star gazing, non-motorized water sports and camping as per details of the civic budget speech of 2020-21.

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A senior BMC official revealed that the project has not progressed. "There are various assets for the security and safety of dams and the environment. The area around dams is ecologically sensitive. The project has to be properly studied for ecological implications of increased human activity in these sensitive areas. These areas are fragile and adequate care has to be taken before allowing any such activities," the official said.

"When the project was announced there was a pandemic situation. But till now at least a preliminary study of it should have been done. This project is good and there is no need to bring politics into it. This is one of the projects suggested by Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray when he was tourism and environment minister. BMC should work on this project," said former Mayor Kishori Pednekar. Civic chief I S Chahal did not respond to messages on the issue.