Thursday, January 25, 2018
The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) is currently working on a tie-up between Airbnb, a leading hospitality service provider and locals for providing homestay to tourists arriving in Elephanta Caves island located in Mumbai Harbour.
This policy makes efforts to overcome security concerns owing to high security installations facing the island that does not permit construction of hotels and night stays.
Jaykumar Rawal, the Tourism Minister said that the 29-day Elephanta Festival commencing on 27th January would be held on the island itself again.
Following the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks the festival venue was shifted to the Gateway of India in south Mumbai. The minister went on to add that seventy years after Independence the island is ready to welcome a proper electricity connection depending upon the testing of the electricity meters.
Rawal also said that there are about 1,200 to 1,500 homes on the Elephanta Island known as Gharapuri Island that is located east of Mumbai.
The minister said that no new constructions are permitted on this island because of high security installations of ONGC and also the Navy.
And, the Caves are declared a heritage site by the UNESCO and protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Rawal said that the government would enter a tie-up with the Mumbai Port Trust and the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited has been planning a cable car over the sea for travelling to the island.
In fact in a week’s time this island is expected to receive electricity.
Besides this, this festival would feature dance, art and music performances by Sumeet Nagdev, Sangeeta Trivedi, Hans Raj Hans, Zia Nath and others.
Tags: elephanta caves, Elephanta Festival, Jaykumar Rawal, maharashtra, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation
