Kamat Group to invest Rs 130 crore in Nagpur

The Mumbai-based Kamat Group is planning to start three projects in Nagpur at an investment of Rs 130 crore.

The group, known for its chain of ecotel properties under Orchid brand, will come up with a catering college, a three star hotel and a convention centre.

"Land for the projects has already been acquired. The catering college will be located near Chhatrapati Square while the hotel and convention centre will be near the Airport on Wardha Road," said Virendra Khare, whose architecture firm has bagged the contract for the catering college and three star hotel.

The catering college will cover an area of 1.5 acre and be completed in phases. Nagpur has two other institutes offering courses in catering technology. These are the Tirpude College of Catering and the Tuli Group's Catering College.

While Tirpude College is promoted by the family of former Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Nasikrao Tirpude, Tuli's college is backed by the hotelier himself, Mohabbat Singh Tuli, whose Rs 700 crore Group has interests in the hospitality sector, tourism, and transport.

Kamat's catering college will also have a "trial hotel" and two museums. One will be on the theme of 'enviroscope' "� displaying products made out of waste "� while the other will feature regular antiques.

The convention centre is the most ambitious project of the group and would cover an area of 50 acre. The Group plans to invest Rs 100 crore in this project alone. The convention centre is being planned on the lines of the group's South Africa centre.

Apart from the normal facilities of a usual convention centre, it will also feature eco-friendly five star facilities.

The two projects are expected to take over an year to be completed. The three star hotel will take another three to four years.