PANJIM: Popular shooting locations – Siddanath Mountain at Borim and Chandranath Mountain in Quepem would soon be upgraded in a bid to encourage hinterland tourism.
Tourism Minister Manohar Azgaonkar, speaking during the Question Hour in the State Legislative Assembly on Tuesday revealed that plans on developing the two regions would soon be carried out.
“Siddanath (Ponda) and Chandranath (Quepem) mountains should be famous across India and the world. These are movie-shooting locations and we will definitely take up the (developmental) work,” he said replying to a starred question tabled by Shiroda legislator Subhash Shirodkar, who sought to know the plans to develop Siddanath Mountain for tourism.
The Congress MLA also questioned the government for the lapse in carrying out tourism-related projects in Ponda despite an agency being appointed during the then tenure of Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar in November 2014. Azgaonkar assured the House it wouldn’t be repeated in his term.
The minister said the department had proposed to carry out the illumination of streets from the Top Cola Junction to Siddhanath Temple located at the Siddhanath Parvat. The Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) had appointed a Project Management Consultant namely Space Ace to propose a holistic plan for the development of touristic plan in Ponda. Not much progress could be achieved and it lapsed. “However, in view of the historical importance of the place, GTDC is willing to consider the proposal, subject to government approval, availability of land and funds for the same,” Azgaonkar said.
While assuring to formulate the long-pending Tourism Policy and Master Plan soon, the tourism minister equated Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar as the “Master” and the House as the “Plan.” “We have a master (pointing at Parrikar) and the plan too… Everyone will be taken into consideration while drafting the plan,” he grinned. The reply was in reply to Shirodkar’s remark that focus should be on hinterland tourism too rather than on beaches only.
To another starred question by BJP legislator Rajesh Patnekar seeking to know the status of the project undertaken at Mayem Lake, Azgaonkar in a rather lighter vein said, “This place is famous. You must have heard the song “Ya Ya Maya Ya.”
As per the written reply, the GTDC had already taken up the project of the development of Mayem Lake boating side at a cost of Rs 8.93 crores. The order has been issued to M/s Bagkiya Constructions Pvt Ltd, Porvorim.
He revealed that about facilities such as, parking area for 57 cars and 10 buses including approach road and entrance gate, entrance plaza and ticketing booth, development of internal pathway and natural trail, cafeteria and coffee deck, 150-capacity amphitheatre, toilet blocks, children play area and mirror maze, picnic spots and landscaping and illumination.
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