Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) is all set to assist the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) team for the Ajanta Ellora conservation and Tourism Development Project Phase II. JICA India office (JICA, New Delhi) had recently sent a letter to MTDC regarding the external evaluation of the JICA ID – P150 (i.e. AEDP – Phase II project). The JICA team will visit the sites between November 27, 2016 and December 24, 2016. Following the visit, studies will continue for almost one year, i.e. up to October 2017.
Various respected diverse agencies have also assigned to complete the allocated components which include Central Government agencies such as ASI, AAI along with MTDC and other State Government Institutions, etc. MTDC and its branches have completed the assigned components given of the projects (for example, Ajanta Visitor Center and Ellora Visitor Center was completed by work branch of MTDC, public awareness by publicity branch, HRD by development branch and IT related work by IT branch). MTDC has further requested its respective officer to note the tour programme and assist JICA team.
Satish Soni, Joint Managing Director, MTDC said, “The Ajanta and Ellora Caves are UNESCO World Heritage Sites located in the Aurangabad district in the state of Maharashtra, approximately 400 km northeast of Mumbai. The Ajanta-Ellora Conservation and Tourism Development Project was initiated in 1992 and Phase I was initiated in March 1993. Phase I was successfully completed in 2004, and phase II was completed in between year 2004 to 2017. Now external evaluation of phase II will take place in the year 2016 – 2017. Our aim is to conserve the cultural heritage and its surrounding environment, and to promote comprehensive tourism development including infrastructure, thereby contributing to regional development therefore MTDC and its respective officer will assist the JICA team in this phase II project.”
