By Bizodisha Bureau, October 15, 2019: Odisha government will soon revive the Shamuka Beach Project, dubbed as India’s largest tourism project at a single location, in coastal town of Puri.

The upmarket tourism project has been languishing for the last four years due to opposition from environmentalists.

Located along Bay of Bengal between Puri and Chilika Lake, Shamuka Beach is 8 kilometers from Puri, 60 kilometers from Bhubaneswar, and 35 kilometers from the world heritage monument — Konark and 45 kilometers from Chilika Lake — Asia’s largest brackish water lake. Besides, tourists coming to project area could also go to Chandrabhaga beach as well as Raghurajpur, an artisans’ village.

Incidentally, the State government has already acquired 972 acres of land near Sipasarubali village on the outskirts of Puri to develop the area into a tourism destination of international standards.

However in 2015, when government started to clear trees for the project, the National Green Tribunal directed the government to stop felling and construction activities in ecologically sensitive areas.

Green activist Prafulla Samantara had moved NGT stating that the project was illegal as it had not got clearance as per Coastal Regulation Zone guideline and environment clearance under Environment Protection Act 1986.

“In wake of fresh alteration noticed in coastal ecology, some changes were required in the master plan of the project. We have observed that sand mound have started forming near coast. Changes will be made internally without disturbing sand mounds. The new master plan will be prepared in next four months,” State Tourism Secretary Vishal Dev said flowing a high level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy at Lokseba Bhawan on the progress made on the project.

As the land acquisition is almost complete, the Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) has been asked to start construction of boundary wall around the project area immediately.

“We have already formed a company — Shamuka Tourism Development Corporation Limited — in partnership between Odisha Tourism Development Corporation and IDCO. We have also received consent from Odisha State Pollution Control Board, Coastal Regulatory Zone Authority and Puri-Konark Development Authority for the project,” Dev added.

Shamuka Beach would be developed with establishment of star hotels, resorts, spa, exhibition complex, eco parks, Odisha Haat, museum complex, public park and residences, official said.