Bengal Govt signs pact with Mahindra Holidays

Kolkata: The West Bengal Government on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd to establish co-operation and develop new tourist destinations in the State.

The MoU was signed between Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd with the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation and Sundarbans Infrastructure Development Corporation.

Speaking to newspersons at Writers’ Buildings after signing the MoU, Mr Arun Nanda, Chairman, Mahindra Holidays, said that in the first phase of the project, an investment of Rs 200 crore would be made in 4-5 resorts in places of tourist interest such as Gorumara and Jaldapara in North Bengal and the Sundarbans.

He said each of these resorts would be greenfield projects in the three or four-star category and consist of around 100 rooms each.

Mr Nanda said the resort in the Sundarbans would be an eco-tourism project and necessary environmental assessment impact study would be undertaken before work on the project is started. Work on the project is likely to begin by December this year, he said.

According to him, the resorts that would be developed in the State would be open to Club Mahindra members and domestic and international tourists.

Infrastructure support:

Speaking on the occasion, the West Bengal’s Minister for Tourism, Mr Manabendra Mukherjee, said the State Government would provide the necessary infrastructure support to Mahindra Holidays’ tourism initiatives in the State.

He said all environmental aspects would be looked into and, for projects that would come up in the periphery of forest areas, co-ordination with the State’s forest department would be ensured.