Experts To Study Jal Mahal Project

PDCOR Ltd, a government of Rajasthan enterprise, has appointed a consortium of three experts _ Chesterton & Meghraj Property Consultants Pvt Ltd, Lea Associates South Asia Pvt Ltd and Planners Combine _ to prepare a detailed feasibility report on the proposed development of the 18th century Jal Mahal in Jaipur into a tourism complex.

Estimated at Rs 15 crore, the Jal Mahal Tourism Infrastructure Project is likely to take off soon after three consultants submit the feasibility report sometime in June. PDCOR had appointed the three consultants for the project in March, according to an official.

The government plans to develop about 67 acre of land around the lake as a tourism complex. The total area available around the lake is about 420 acre out of that, Mansagar Lake is spread over 320 acre with 26 sq km of catchment area.

 

The thrust of the project is architectural conservation and reuse of Jal Mahal, ecological restoration of Mansagar Lake and development of the surrounding area of the lake for an integrated tourism project with recreational facilities.

The feasibility report will also provide a demand estimation and tourists inflow details of the proposed complex. "We are also providing a detailed analysis of both capital and revenue aspects to PDCOR which includes leasing or selling of land," Chesterton Meghraj Research & Consulting Group (India) head Sunil Agarwal told Business Standard.

We are required to identify the strengths of the location both in terms of local and regional context. Our task is to prepare a complete integrated tourism project around the lake, keeping ecological protection in mind and focusing on the restoration of both the Jal Mahal and the lake, he said.

Chesterton Meghraj will help to formulate the proposed project area development on a commercial format through demand estimation and also identify all associated risks, he added.

As for the other consortium partners, Associate will take up the urban planning aspect of the project while Planners Combine with their experience in eco tourism will conduct a topographical survey, he said.

Elaborating on the project, he said the proposed development is a part of the Draft Tourism Policy of Rajasthan which stresses on the preservation of the natural, historical, architectural and cultural heritage of the state with private sector participation.

To implement the master plan proposals on tourism development, prepared by the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA), the state government has decided to involve private sector and has initiated the Jal Mahal Tourism Infrastructure Project through PDCOR Ltd, a corporate entity responsible for infrastructural project development in the state.