Kamath Hotels plans eco-resort near Nagpur

Kamath Hotels India Ltd has drawn up an ambitious plan to invest Rs 50 crore in constructing an eco-tourism resort near the Pench dam, around 55 kms from here.

The company is in talks with Maharashtra Irrigation Department for using abandoned small islands in the reservoir for setting up a nature resort.

The Public Works Department (PWD) and Forest Department will also be involved in the venture. The company will set up the resort on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis for the state government.

Close associate of the Kamath group and coordinator for the project, Vishnu Manohar said the project will be spread over an area of 80 hectares and would be developed within 15 months from the day of receiving all approvals.

The Irrigation Department has already finished the initial formalities and the project is expected to be approved after a meeting scheduled to be held on June 14 or 15, he said.

The Irrigation Department was already scouting for some corporate partner for venturing into the hospitality sector so as to increase employment avenues in the region. Chairman of Kamath Hotels, Vithal Kamath, who visited the city recently, found the idea interesting and also took a trip to the dam site, Manohar revealed.

He said that the plans for the project included transporting tourists to the islands by helicopters or a rope-way and also offering a ride in a helium balloon. The entire catchment area would be developed as a water sport resort, Manohar informed.

Plans include setting up a bird sanctuary and a butterfly park "" the first of its kind in the country. An "underwater walk" for tourists is also on the anvil wherein tourists would be encouraged to use special underwater gear to take a walk on the bed of the lake. Trips would be organised to forests in nearby Madhya Pradesh.

Manohar said, the eco-villages would be self-sustaining in the sense that vegetables would be grown on the islets themselves. The project would follow "ecotel" standards, the international benchmark for environmental conservation. It had an employment potential of between 400 and 500 for local villagers in addition to professionals of the hospitality sector.

Apart from this a number of water games would be available for indulging the tourists. These include water skiing, rafting, boating, water scooters, and so on, Manohar said.