Soon, tourists may be able to snorkel on the beaches of Konkan. Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) officials are busy identifying locations along the coastline which can be developed into scuba diving sites.
At present, Sindhudurg has the Indian Institute of Scuba Diving and Aquatic Sports (IISDA) at Tarkarli, which according to the MTDC, is one of the largest such scuba diving schools in the Asia- Pacific region. It is also India’s first such integrated facility.
“We are identifying more seashores with potential for scuba diving and planning to develop these facilities on the public-private partnership (PPP) mode,” a senior MTDC official told DNA. The official added that divers had been sent undersea to test if these sites had undersea corals where fish bred and if these locations were feasible. The water quality at these sites will also be tested.
The MTDC will identify the sites where adventure tourism activities can be conducted and construct jetties. “The scuba diving facilities will be developed by private parties, who can also establish their own institutes. Or else, they can run the facilities as scuba diving sites,” he explained, adding that private landowners had also shown interest in in developing these facilities at Guhagar. The ground-breaking ceremony for the IISDA was conducted in 2008 and it launched operations in 2014. Local fishermen have also been trained to become scuba diving instructors.
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- Currently, Sindhudurg has the Indian Institute of Scuba Diving and Aquatic Sports at Tarkarli, which according to the MTDC, is one of the largest such scuba diving schools in the Asia- Pacific region.
- Local fishermen have also been trained to become scuba diving instructors
