India to soon to get its own 'Times Square' in Mumbai

NEW DELHI: Giving a boost to infrastructure, the NDA government is planning to create a cultural hub, mostly open air, in Mumbai on the lines of Times Square in New York.

The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism and Culture, Shripad Naik on Friday announced that the Ministry of Tourism would sanction Rs 5 crore for phase-I of the project with similar amounts for every subsequent phase. This would be over and above what the Government of Maharashtra would spend in creating the basic infrastructure to incentivise private sector parties to invest in the project.

On the lines of Times Square, a 15 foot high flag of India, made of hard transparent materials and lit from within is being proposed for the area. As of now the Kala Ghoda area in the South Mumbai region is being considered as the best suited location for the project but the final decision will be taken later.

According to a release by government, "The final decision on the exact location in the area will be taken keeping in mind issues such as ensuring that there is no disturbance to vehicular traffic and ensuring maximum activity."

The Kala Ghoda heritage hub project is an initiative of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India with the support of the Department of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra and the concerned local bodies of Mumbai.

There will be electronic billboards which the government said will give corporates an opportunity to advertise their products, while also providing income to the owners of the building that host such electronic advertisements and entertainment to visitors.

The Ministry of Tourism is also funding a scheme to project 3-dimensional (3D) images of 36 Indian monuments, one from each State and Union Territory at India Gate, Delhi. Depending on the success of that project, the Ministry of Tourism will consider similar projections on the Gateway of India, Mumbai.