Maharashtra is set to add two significant landmarks to its tourism and infrastructure landscape, with one celebrating the state’s Maratha legacy and the other looking towards the future of aviation. From a memorial honouring one of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s bravest warriors to India’s proposed first offshore airport, both projects are expected to reshape how visitors experience the state.
At the foothills of the historic Pratapgad Fort in Satara district, the Maharashtra government has approved the construction of a grand memorial dedicated to Veer Jivaji Mahale. Remembered as the trusted bodyguard of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Jivaji Mahale is credited with saving the Maratha ruler’s life during the Battle of Pratapgad in 1659 by killing Afzal Khan’s bodyguard at a crucial moment. His courage inspired the enduring Marathi saying, Hota Jiva Mhanun Vachla Shiva (Because Jiva was there, Shivaji survived). The Tourism Department has been allotted a budget for the project’s first phase, with the memorial expected to strengthen Maratha heritage tourism around Pratapgad, which already attracts thousands of visitors, particularly during the annual Shiv Pratap Din commemorations on November 10.
Meanwhile, Palghar district could soon become home to India’s first offshore airport. Planned on reclaimed land near Kore Beach, the proposed project has moved into the detailed planning stage after the Maharashtra government approved the preparation of a Detailed Project Report. Estimated to cost around `45,000 crore, the airport is designed with two runways and the capacity to handle up to 90 million passengers and three million metric tonnes of cargo annually. Inspired by offshore airports such as Kansai in Japan, Hong Kong International Airport and Incheon International Airport in South Korea, the development is envisioned as a major transport hub. It will complement the upcoming Vadhavan Port and is planned to connect with the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train, the Dedicated Freight Corridor and a proposed extension of the Uttan-Virar Sea Link, positioning Palghar as an important gateway for both travellers and trade.
