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Maharashtra government to build MTDC resorts in Jammu and Kashmir, Leh

The state tourism minister and MTDC chairman Jaykumar Rawal said the government has allocated 2 crore for the project. The decision was taken at the board meeting of MTDC on Tuesday.

Updated on: Sep 4, 2019, 02:22:23 IST
Hindustan Times, Mumbai | By
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The state government has decided to set up two Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) resorts in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), and Ladakh. The resorts will be located near Srinagar and another at Leh in Ladakh.

Horses grazing on a hill in Kashmir. The Maharshtra government has decided to set up resorts near Srinagar and at Leh in Ladakh. (Shutterstock Image)
Horses grazing on a hill in Kashmir. The Maharshtra government has decided to set up resorts near Srinagar and at Leh in Ladakh. (Shutterstock Image)

The state tourism minister and MTDC chairman Jaykumar Rawal said the government has allocated 2 crore for the project. The decision was taken at the board meeting of MTDC on Tuesday. State government officials claimed this would make Maharashtra the first state to invest in Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A on August 5. The decision enables residents from other parts of the country to buy land in the region. “The resort at Ladakh will be a mountaineering institute with an adjoining resort. A team of state officials will visit the places to find suitable sites. They are planning to finalise things in the next one month,” Rawal said. Officials said state officials will visit the places in the next two weeks.

Rawal said the state is looking for locations close to the airport and railway station. “We will appoint a consultant who will help us finalise the sites. Our first preference will be government land; we are also in touch with the state tourism board. The state is also open to buying private land if needed,” said Rawal. CM Devendra Fadnavis will write a letter to J&K governor Satya Pal Malik, requesting him to extend help for the project.

  • Faisal Malik
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Faisal Malik

    Faisal Malik is a senior journalist with over two and a half decades of experience covering Maharashtra’s politics, governance and public policy with a deep understanding of the state’s political landscape. He is a Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times and has been associated with its Mumbai edition for more than a decade. Based in Mumbai, Faisal currently covers three major political parties in Maharashtra — Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and NCP (Sharad Pawar). Over the years, he has extensively reported on major political developments, combining investigative insights with in-depth field reporting. His coverage has spanned a wide range of issues, from drought, farmer suicides, major development projects and grassroots challenges to major electoral battles, including three Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections — 2014, 2019 and 2024. Before joining Hindustan Times, he worked with ‘The Asian Age’ and ‘Dainik Bhaskar’. An avid tea enthusiast, he enjoys reading history, Urdu literature and classical poetry. When away from the newsroom, he writes Urdu poetry inspired by human emotions, life's experiences, meaningful reflections and relationships. An amateur photographer, Faisal is passionate about capturing moments that often go unnoticed by the naked eye.Read More