You could soon picnic at a lakeside guesthouse in Mumbai

The feasibility study of the project would include aspects like who would maintain the guesthouses if opened up for the public and the rates at which they would be given out

Three guesthouses located near the Tansa, Modak Sagar and Vihar lakes might soon be opened up for the public, only if the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) finds it feasible. According to sources, civic commissioner Praveen Pardeshi has asked the hydraulic engineering department to find out whether it was possible, as it would not only help them earn revenue but also turn these locations into tourist hotspots. Currently, only government officials and their families use the guesthouses occasionally.

In view of the government's decision to allow state-owned guesthouses for public use as well, Pardeshi also wants BMC to make use of its property for recreational purposes.

While local staff maintain the two guesthouses at Tansa and Modak Sagar, which are frequented by top government officials especially during the rainy season, the Vihar guesthouse inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park is in a very bad condition as it has been lying unused for a long time.

The feasibility study of the project would include aspects like who would maintain the guesthouses if opened up for the public and the rates at which they would be given out.

Civic sources said while the Vihar guesthouse is maintained by the BMC, permissions for entering the forest and some other aspects would have to be looked into.

Requesting anonymity, a senior civic official said, "We are still unsure of the maintenance of the guesthouses as the feasibility study is yet to be started. Further, the Vihar guesthouse is in a bad shape and it needs to be completely repaired. This will take some time as the guesthouse is inside the forest. Also, certain restrictions will be put in place as these locations are very close to the lakes. It was the commissioner's idea to open up these properties for public use."

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