Maharashtra government clears policy to allow caravan tourism, parks

In a boost to tourism in the state, the Maharashtra government has cleared the caravan policy, which will allow private players to get the vehicles for tourism and setting up of caravan parks in public and private places

In a boost to tourism in the state, the Maharashtra government has cleared the caravan policy, which will allow private players to get the vehicles for tourism and setting up of caravan parks in public and private places. The decision was taken in the state cabinet meeting held on Wednesday. Maharashtra is the third state after Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka to get such a policy.

Each caravan is expected to have facilities such as beds for stay at night, kitchen, toilet, sofa and table for comfort of the travellers and maintenance of proper hygiene.

Specially built vehicles (home on wheels) used for the purpose of travel, leisure and accommodation are called caravans. A caravan park is a place where caravans can stay overnight in allocated spaces, providing basic or advanced amenities and facilities to the travellers. According to officials, the policy is expected to help provide an experience other than the traditional stays and family trips at hotels and resorts. It will allow appropriate use of no-development zones, promote tourism in remote areas and also create job opportunities in the state, they said.

Each caravan is expected to have facilities such as beds for stay at night, kitchen, toilet, sofa and table for comfort of the travellers and maintenance of proper hygiene. The state government has allowed use of different sets of caravans – single axle and twin axle caravans, folding caravan, camper trailer – under the policy. One of the essential pre-requisites for caravan tourism is the presence of sufficient caravan parks in the identified circuits.

“The policy is to allow privately owned caravans to be used on trips and encourage them. They will come under the tourism policy and will be eligible for all incentives in stamp duty and registration, electricity duty and Good and Services Tax (GST),” said Valsa Nair Singh, principal secretary, state tourism department.

The concept of caravan tourism has gained popularity across the world owing to the freedom and flexibility it provides while holidaying, along with itineraries and accommodation. It promotes family-oriented tours even in circuits and destinations, which don’t have adequate hotel accommodation. There are many places where the state cannot build any structure as they come under NDZ (no-development zone) or CRZ (coastal regulation zone) laws or near heritage sites or forest. “The areas where construction is not permitted by the law, caravans can be allowed and they can do well in these areas because one can go on a foothill, park the caravan and explore it,” she said.

The state government has also allowed setting up of caravan parks at public and private places by the owner or a developer. “We will be setting up caravan parking bays across the state. Like abroad, 10-15 caravans can be parked at a particular place. The land available from irrigation department, forest department, revenue department or MTDC etc. will be identified and developed as caravan parking bays having all the basic infrastructure water, electricity, security, safety. A memorandum of understanding will be signed with the private tour operator for its use,” the principal secretary said.

The state will also allow developing hybrid parks. It means a private tour operator can tie up with a resort for using its open space as a caravan parking bay. For instance, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) can tie up with any caravan operator for it, she said.