Maharashtra: MSRDC plans sculptures on mountain ranges to honour state’s heroes

The plan draws inspiration from Mount Rushmore in the USA, where massive rock sculptures of four American presidents – George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln – adorn a mountain range in South Dakota state. The tourist attractions at the site also include a museum with interactive exhibits.

The MSRDC now wants to replicate a similar project in Maharashtra. The agency has floated a tender seeking a consultant to conduct a feasibility study and prepare a detailed master plan, as well as identify locations where these sculptures can come up.

The planned project, according to MSRDC officials, aspires to praise and develop a memorial of glorious leaders and warriors of Indian history, with special emphasis on heroes from the state of Maharashtra. The sculptures will also be complemented by tourist destinations in mountainous regions of the state.

The consultant appointed by MSRDC will also evolve an optimal structure for the finalised projects and assess the financial feasibility of various models, such as public-private partnership, donor investments and pure private investment, among other options.

As per the initial concept, the MSRDC will first identify suitable locations, keeping in view the history, culture and heritage of Maharashtra. Once the location is finalised, work on the sculpture will start and simultaneously, the agency will also develop locations around the proposed sculptures for tourists. It will provide facilities for different types of tourism such as adventure tourism, cultural tourism, eco-tourism and leisure activities, as well as set up avenues to promote local art and culture.

“Apart from praising prominent personalities with their rock-carved sculptures and telling visitors about their work and contribution, we are also aiming to develop tourism activities in mountainous regions, enhance the local economy, attract and capitalise tourism potential and create possibilities for local economic development of these regions, which are relatively underdeveloped. The project can be called a Memorial Museum and it will have amenities to facilitate tourists and could also have parks, a museum, a viewing gallery, selfie points and others…,” said a MSRDC official.

“While we are considering all the mountain ranges of the state, the feasibility study will be conducted only for Sahyadri Ranges in western Maharashtra. The tourism industry in the state has tremendous potential for growth in Sahyadri and other mountainous regions, given the availability of basic infrastructure and the variety of tourist themes offered by various destinations. The state has tremendous tourism potential with a number of spiritual destinations, rich historical and cultural heritage. The presence of basic infrastructure and services throughout the Sahyadri Region will provide a perfect platform for investments in development of tourism. This development process will create direct and indirect employment opportunities for its residents,” added the official.