ETW Staff– Mumbai
The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has planned to revive the Sewri Fort in Mumbai as a pilot project. The success of the project could be replicated to all other forts. A proposal to revive tourism, and to attract more tourists, a cost of INR 11 crore has been mooted by MTDC to revive this fort.
The MTDC initiative is a significant development because, of the total 350 forts only about 19 have been notified by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) while another 50 have been notified by the state directorate. Dr. Jagdish Patil, managing director, MTDC, said,”Many of the forts across the state are in poor condition and have been encroached on, and many remain inaccessible or unknown to public. We just want to bring this rich heritage to the public through the fort circuit.”
A museum, mini-theatre, souvenir shop and an open deck restaurant being proposed under the scheme. “Tourists can take their own time, sip a cup of coffee and track the migratory bird from the comfort of an open deck restaurant which will be constructed outside the fortification wall,” added Dr. Patil
Maharashtra has over half of the total forts in the country located mainly along the Sahayadri range, and Sewri is just one of the many forts located in Maharashtra, which the state corporation is developing as part of its fort circuit. Worli and Bandra forts are the other monuments in Mumbai, which the MTDC has planned to adopt.
