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First commercial seaplane flight takes off from Mumbai

The Mumbai to Pawana dam flight is operated by MEHAIR in cooperation with the MTDC; multiple destinations are also being planned.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Today, August 25, 2014, the Maritime Energy Heli Air Services Pvt Ltd (MEHAIR) and Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) flagged off the first commercial seaplane flight from Mumbai to Pawana dam (in Lonavala). The seaplanes will eventually connect Mumbai with multiple state tourist destinations adjacent to four suitable water bodies, even though there are no runways at these destinations.

As of now, the flights from Mumbai to Pawana Dam are priced at Rs 2,999 per person, one way.

Speaking at the launch, Siddharth Verma, Co-Founder and Director, MEHAIR said, “It gives me great pleasure that the first seaplane service in the mainland of India is taking off from Mumbai. It is the first step towards covering India with a seaplane network over the next three to five years. I am sure Mumbaikars will find the service extremely useful and exciting and the service will become a vital cog in the tourism initiative of the State and both tourists as well as pilgrims will benefit from it given that its connecting tourist as well as religious centers.”

The service is expected to save a lot of travel time for users, given that the aircraft will take far lesser time to connect two points, as opposed to road or rail journeys. The MTDC has entered into an understanding with MEHAIR to launch the service in the State by extending its full support. Jagdish Patil, Managing Director, MTDC, said, “These services will boost tourism greatly. Seaplanes will turn vacation destinations into weekend destinations. The fatigue involved in reaching these destinations will also come down drastically.”      

The seaplane service is being launched in Maharashtra with Cessna 208 Amphibian aircraft (9 seater) and Cessna 206 Amphibian (4 seater). These two models can accommodate 9 to 4 passengers respectively. “This is a new and exciting mode of transport which will provide the last mile connectivity to those areas where there is no airport but are popular tourist destinations,” Verma added.

(Pictures courtesy MEHAIR)

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Kharcha paani

MTDC boosts Bollywood tourism plans

Bollywood tourism plan, which includes theme parks and a film school, among other film industry related ideas, gets MTDC fillip.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Who doesn’t love Bollywood, right? Everybody does, even if some people won’t readily admit it. The biggest film industry in the world attracts one and all – while most of us choose to bask in the reflected glory of our favourite film star, there are others who try their level best to be a part of the industry itself.

Recognising that Bollywood tourism is actually a ‘thing’ – and megastars like Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan coming to their balconies to give their fans a ‘darshan’ are just the start of this filmi love affair – Mahindra & Mahindra and the UK-based Pinewood Studios floated the idea (and a proposal for space) to the Maharashtra State Government, for a consolidated Bollywood experience in Mumbai. As per the plan, the two entities will set up a space for all things Bollywood at Kandivali, so that film buffs can have access to film memorabilia, technical knowledge on filmmaking, and if they’re really lucky, the chance to catch an actual film shoot. The plan includes the setting up of a Bollywood theme park as well, and an acting school will also come up in the area.

Now, the State Government has given this idea the required shot in the arm – PWD chief who also runs Maharashtra’s Tourism Department (MTDC), Chhagan Bhujbal, has promised that all assistance will be extended to the project. “We feel, given Bollywood’s rising success even in foreign countries, that this project will boost tourism in Mumbai and give people the chance to experience Bollywood,” Bhujbal says.

The project is to come up on a private plot at Kandivali.

(Picture courtesy travel.cnn.com)

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Tech

Book your next holiday at a kiosk

MTDC to install touch screen kiosks to help users book holidays at MTDC resorts; first one installed at Marine Drive.

It is summer time and everyone’s heading for a holiday. To make the process of booking accomodation for your holiday easier, the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has hit upon the idea of installing touch screen kiosks at various spots in Mumbai and the State.

To this end, the first such kiosk was installed a couple of days ago at Mumbai’s Marine Drive. The kiosk and others like it will enable users to get information about tourist destinations in Maharashtra, in both Marathi and English. Plus, once you browse the information and make a destination choice, you can book your stay at an MTDC resort in that destination, as well as book train tickets to get there.

As per a release from MTDC, the plan is to “set up 300 such kiosks at various tourist destinations in Maharashtra, at Government offices, railway stations and airports. Within Mumbai, the kiosks will be put at CST, Dadar, domestic and international airports, Sanjay Gandhi National Park etc.”

(Picture courtesy MTDC. Image shows Jayant Kumar Banthia. Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra and Dr Jagdish Patil, Managing Director, MTDC, inaugurating the kiosk at Marine Drive)

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Places

Senior citizens get 20% concession at MTDC resorts

For senior citizens planning a holiday: MTDC is offering 20 per cent off on accomodation at 19 destinations in Maharashtra.

It’s a great time to be a senior citizen in Maharashtra – if for no other reason, then to enjoy a holiday at a great spot in the State at a concessional rate. As per a Government Resolution (GR) issued by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) last month, senior citizens over 65 years of age can avail of a 20 per cent discount on accomodation at MTDC resorts at 19 destinations.

The concession extends to all kinds of rooms. Seniors have to book in advance to avail of the offer, but only if they book rooms for Monday to Thursday, and provided they furnish proof of age.

The concession is valid for senior citizens at MTDC resorts located at Ganapatipule, Mahabaleshwar, Matheran, Harihareshwar, Tarkarli, Tarkarli Houseboat, Tadoba, Velneshwar, Ajintha T-junction, Fardapur, Bhandardara, Malshej Ghat, Chikhaldara, Panshet, Hotel Pilgrims Inn (Shirdi), Karla, Tourist Welcome Centre (Nagpur), Titwala and Tuljapur.

(Picture courtesy hindustantimes.com) 

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Event

Elephanta Festival kicks off over the weekend

The theme for the noted musical fest combines Hindustani classical music with western fusion, and invites amateur painters as well.

This unique music and art festival was shifted from its excellent location two years ago, but it is back where it truly belongs. The Elephanta Festival 2013 kicks off at the Elephanta Caves on Saturday, March 2 and ends the next day. As always, stalwarts in music comprise the lineup of performers at the fest this time around, too.

Organised by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), the fest will be officially announced by State Tourism Minister Chhagan Bhujbal tomorrow. This year’s edition of the Elephanta Festival will witness performances in both Hindustani classical and Western fusion music.

Dr Jagdish Patil, Managing Director, MTDC, says, “While the festival will include some of the best performers from across the globe, the theme will retain its objective to promote Indian culture and expose it to the world and the nation. The participation by international artists in Indian art forms will position the festival as a leader in promoting Indian heritage not only in the State, but across the nation and in the international circuit, putting the Elephanta Festival on the international tourism map.”

The fest also invites professional as well as amateur painters irrespective of age and experience to attend the event. Organised in association with the JJ School of Art, the theme of the painting competition is to paint the Elephanta caves and statues at the location on both days from 10 am to 2 pm. “The art materials would have to be carried by the participants, and they have to register at the venue and submit the entry at the location itself,” says Dr Patil. The top three prizes comprise cash amounts of Rs 50,000, Rs 25,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively.

For history and heritage enthusiasts, there are  guided tours of the Elephanta caves under the guidance of Dr GB Deglurkar, President, Deccan College, who will share his knowledge on the detailing of the sculptures and caves of Elephanta Island. Also, noted artist Chandrajit Yadav will replicate the cave sculptures in mud during the Festival.

Line up of artistes slated to perform:

March 2, 2013, Day 1:

7:00 pm – 7:30 pm: Shweta Pandit (opening ceremony with Saraswati Vandana)

7:30 pm – 8:15 pm: Sannidhi, confluence of seven Indian Classical Dance Performances by Parvathy Dutta

8:45 pm – 10:00 pm: Vishnamo, Shujaat Khan (Sitar and vocals); V Selvaganesh (Kanjira); Ganesh and Kumaresh (Violin); George Brooks (Saxophone)

March 3, 2013, Day 2:

7:00 pm – 7:45pm: Prabhakar Karekar, Hindustani classical vocals

8:00 pm – 8:45 pm: Manjari Chaturvedi, Sufi Kathak; Awadh Gharana musicians

9:00 pm – 10 pm: Ranjit Barot (Drums); Punya Srinivas (Veena); Elie Afif (Upright and electric bass); Harmeet Manseta (Keyboards); Aditya Benia (Guitar)

(Picture courtesy meriyatrra.com. Image is a file picture)

Categories
Places

Heritage walks to start at Bombay High Court

You can soon take a walking tour of the HC on weekends. However, visitors must maintain discipline inside the premises.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Have you ever wondered what the Bombay High court (HC) looks like on the inside? It sure is an imposing and photograph-worthy structure, but what is it like to be inside the building that delivers judgments and is the ultimate symbol for law in the city?

You’ll soon have a chance to find out.

After the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), it is the turn of the Bombay HC to be opened to the general public for general viewing via a heritage walk. After efforts on the part of the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), the Bombay HC will be open to heritage walks on weekends, barring working Saturdays for the court.

Says Dr Jagdish Patil, Managing Director, MTDC, “It is our great privilege to have the opportunity of organising the heritage walk at the High Court. The beautiful building premises are indeed a rare sight for visitors and not many get the opportunity to visit it. The HC is a monument of great significance, history and heritage. We are thankful to the Honourable Chief Justice Mohit Shah for granting us permission to arrange heritage walks at the High Court.”

Entry to the building is otherwise restricted, understandably, but it will soon be thrown open for viewing on the weekends. The guidelines for the walking tours, as well as ticket pricing and group timings, are still being worked out. “The walk will be faciliated by the ToGA (Tour Guides Association) on days when the HC is not working,” Dr Patil says. The walk is to be conducted in the presence of police personnel and the Court Keeper between 8 am to 10.30 am on Saturdays and Sundays every month.

“However, the visitors will have to be disciplined and adhere by the High Court’s guidelines,” Dr Patil says. “They will have to move around in small batches (15 to 20 members at a time). Photography of the interiors of the court rooms or High Court building will be prohibited, and visitors will have to be cautious about not disturbing anybody in the court rooms and other departments of the HC,” Dr Patil says.

(Picture courtesy wikipedia.org)

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