The Maharashtra government has approved the allocation of land in Igatpuri, a scenic hill town in Nashik district, for the development of a new film city, modelled on Mumbai’s renowned Goregaon Film City (Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari), reported the PTI.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who holds the finance and planning portfolios. The meeting was also attended by Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal and Information Technology and Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar.
The new film city will aim to replicate the success of the Mumbai-based hub, offering indoor studios, outdoor sets, and filming infrastructure for movies and television productions.
Ajit Pawar announced that the revenue department has been instructed to transfer 54.58 hectares of government land at Mundegaon village in Igatpuri to the Department of Cultural Affairs to facilitate the project.
Speaking at the meeting held at Sahyadri Guest House in South Mumbai, Chhagan Bhujbal, who is also an MLA from the Nashik district, said the area chosen is both picturesque and strategically located, thanks to its connectivity via the Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Highway, according to the PTI.
“Soon, a grand film city will be developed here in Igatpuri, following the model of Goregaon film city,” he said.
The plan to establish a film hub in Nashik has been in discussion since 2009, when the government sanctioned Rs 10 crore under the Nashik Division Development Programme for the initiative.
A survey of the land has already been carried out, and the Nashik district collector has submitted a formal proposal to the revenue department for land transfer.
A feasibility study, conducted by Dadasaheb Phalke Film City Corporation in partnership with MITCON, was reviewed by the Maharashtra Film and Cultural Development Corporation (MFCDC). To further assess the project, global consultancy KPMG has been appointed to conduct a financial viability and gap analysis, expected to be completed by the end of November, as per the PTI.
Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar expressed full support for the project and confirmed the appointment of a project management consultant to oversee further planning.
In an interesting suggestion, Nashik Divisional Commissioner Dr Praveen Gedam proposed adding an amusement park alongside the film city to make it more attractive to tourists and families, the news agency reported.
(with PTI inputs)
