CHAPTER-3 TRAVEL AND TOURISM IN AND AROUND PUNE CHAPTER 3 I N D E X 3.0 INTRODUCTION 3.1 INFORMTION ABOUT LOCATION 3.2 INFORMATION ABOUT CLIMATE 3.3 INFORMATION ABdUT POPULATION 3.4 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 3.5 CULTURE AND EDUCATION 3.6 IMPORTANT GROWTH FACTORS FOR TOURISM 3.7 EMINENT PERSONALITIES 3.8 PLACES OF TOURIST INTEREST IN AND AROUND PUNE 3.9 GROWTH OF INDUSTRIES IN PUNE 3.10 TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION 3.11 ACCOMMODATION 1V\ • 82-0 X- 3.12 PROPOSALS lOG TRAVEL AND TOURISM IN AND AROUND PUNE 3.0 INTRODUCTION : Maharashtra has many visitors mainly for business purposes, but there are also many people who visit the state for various reasons. Maharashtra is an industrial state. High profile business houses and groups in Maharashtra include Tata, Birla, Mahindra, Ambani, Bajaj, Godrej, Kirloskar, Goenka, Wadia and such other prestigious families. The list of multinationals also makes impressive reading : e.g. Coca-Cola, Lever, Colgate, Procter & Gamble, Mico, Sandoz. This, in fact makes Maharashtra such an attractive proposition for investors. The state has abundant natural resources, amongst which the crude oil and natural gas from the Bombay High oil fields accounts for almost 70 percent of oil and gas production in India. The Bombay High gas fields provide a major advantage for sustaining the output of petrochemicals, synthetic, rubber, sponge - iron and other gas based industries in Maharashtra. Multinational Foreign companies too continue to take keen interest in investing in Maharashtra through collaboration with Indian companies. Skilled and competent manpower is also available in Maharashtra. Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) established in 1962, has played a pioneering role in developing the industrial infrastructure, which is essential for trade and commerce. Social development of industrial areas has not lagged behind either. There are housing colonies for executives and for workers in industrial towns and locations, along with other amenities such as clubs, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, departmental stores etc. Software and technical manpower in the state is available to cater the industrial and commercial needs of Maharashtra. Maharashtra is a land of caves, forts and temples. Maharashtra has the largest number of rock-cut caves in India. Maharashtra is one of the large states in India., covering 3,07,690 square kilometers. Although Bombay overwhelmingly • 101 dominates much of the economic life of the State, Maharashtra is not just an economic hinterland for the mega-city. There are other large towns such as Pune. Aurangabad and Nashik and several major historic sites, including the many forts, and the Ellora and Ajantha cave complex. Tourism is an important industry in the state. Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation has declared special incentives for investment. Over 150 destinations have been identified and are open to the private sector for development. Investment proposals for these destinations are expected to include any of the following : a hotel, motels, resorts, health farms ,heritage hotels, convention centers , open - air recreation centers, amusement parks, water sports facilities, camping sites, ropeways, arts crafts villages. All these can contribute to develop a synergy between the government and the private sector, and make Maharashtra an important tourist center. Maharashtra is a leading state in the country from various angles. Tourism is one of the very interesting activities related with Maharashtra. Manpower planning in tourism industry :therefore emerges as vital topic for study. 3.1 INFORMATION ABOUT LOCATION' LOCATION DETAILS ARE; 18°- 31° North and 73°-51° East Distance from coast: 107 kilometers Hight above sea level: 570 meters Distance from Bombay : 192 kms (by rail) Pune city is the divisional headquarter of Pune Division, which comprises the districts of Pune, Satara, Solapur and Kolhapur. 3.2 INFORMATION ABOUT CLIMATE'" DETAILS ARE ; Winter - (November - February) Average Tem. 15.20 celsius : Min-upto 6 celsius Summer (March-June) Aver^ Tem.30.40 celsius : Max-upto 43 celsius 102 Rain - (July - October) Avergae Rainfall 70' ^•'. Pune recorded a maximum of rainfall of 50 inches / 90cms. in 1892. In the same year 5 inches 116 cms of rain have been recorded in 24 hours. Pune is surrounded by hills and lies in natural setting having pleasant and invigorating climate. (Pune District statistical abstract - Appendix - 2 3.3 INFORMATION ABOUT POPULATION^ The population of Pune has grown considerably during last several years. The following table gives clear idea about it. TABLE NO. 3.1 Year Pune Urban Percentage Pune city Percentage agglomeration increase Increase 1941 3,24,286 29.62 2,57,554 30.03 1951 6,05,504 86.72 4,88,419 89.64 1961 7,90,798 30.60 6,06,777 24.23 1971 11.35,034 43.53 8,56,105 41.09 1981 16,86,109 48.53 12,03,351 40.56 1991 24.93,987 47.91 15,66,651 30.19 Along with increasing population and because of the comparatively lower cost of getting a residential accommodation, a number of suburbs have grown around Pune such as Loni, Talegoan. Katraj. Uralikanchan, Dehu, Vitthalwadi, Rajgurunagar, Kothrud, Hingane- Waraje etc. (Pune Cit}' population growth - Appendix - I) 103 3.4 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Pune , the cultural capital of Maharashtra, is just 170 kms. from Mumbai. Pune is the second big city of Maharashtra. It was home for a long time to the Mahratta leader, the great Shivaji Maharaj. The district of Pune has been an important region of a bigger state right from the ancient Hindu period, then Muslim period and under the British regime as well. For a period of a hundred years, Pune city itself was the bastion of the powerful Mahratta Empire. Under the reign of Shivaji Maharaj, the 17 th century warrior king, Pune entered a new phase in history. Shivaji's mother Jijabai and Dadoji Kondev started developing a then small village, named PUNAWADI into a town Pune. It was latter the seat of the enterprising Peshwas, under whom Mahratta power rose into a major political force. It was only after the battle of "Koregaon" in 1818, that Pune fell into the hands of the East India Company. During British rule, right from 1818 it was known as the birth place of social and political reforms. Any good activity that originated from Pune was found to spread rapidly through out Maharashtra . 3.5 CULTURE AND EDUCATION Pune is also known as cultural capital of Maharashtra. Pune is well known for educational facilities. Government Engineering College is one of the oldest engineering colleges in the country. It is well equipped with practically all Engineering branches. B. J. Medical College, Armed Forces Medical College, National Chemical Laboratory and several other collages and management institutions are situated in Pune. Acharya Rajanish Ashram in Pune is very famous all over the world. Pune has great importance from defence point of view. Pune is the head quarter of Southern Command. High Explosive factory is situated at Khadki. National Defence Academy at Khadakvasala, College of Military Engineering, Armed Forced Medical College, Artificial Limb Center are other important institutions in Pune. 104 Marathi Language is an official language of Maharashtra and Pune is known for Marathi literary activities. It is a favourite medium of expression for Pune's theatre world. New plays are staged here all through the year and draw non - Maharashtrains to the theatre today. Racing activity on the Pune racecourse is in full swing in monsoon as it shifts from Bombay to Pune for July, August, September every year .Mahatma Phule Market, popularly known as Mandai is another important place of social and economic activity. Mahrattha Chamber of Commerce is well known for its service to industry and commerce in Maharashtra . Pune is an industrial city. It also has a Stock Exchange. The industrial and conmiercial activities have grown rapidly in Pune in recent years. The Pune festival is the most important festival of Pune city. The festival of Lord Ganesh, the patron deity of Maharashtra, is the most popular and exciting festival in Pune. Lokmanya Tilak initiated the first public celebration of this annual ritual as a means of uniting people for the freedom struggle. Today the festival has incorporated within its hold cultural representations of every part of India, thus making it a composite cosmopolitan culture extravaganra. The Pune Festival amply manifests the country's leading musicians, dancers , artist's, painters and performers, thus fascinating different communities India . The excitement at the village fair, the Jatra, with its bullock - cart race at the Bhosari village adds special effect to the festivals . Events like wrestling matches, tamasha and water sports are also other attractions for this festival. In addition to above, there are other festivals and cultural programs. These also attract tourists and can not be ignored because of their growing importance. In the month of December of every year, Sawai Gandharva Sangeet Mahotsava festival of classical music is arranged. This program is reckoned internationally, as the participants are well-known personalities in the fields of vocal and instrumental music. 105 Marathon race is another feature arranged regularly in Pune , which is an important event graced by international athletes. Racing is a hobby and in Pune throughout the year tourists can enjoy racing season. Many race hunters visit Pune regularly. Pune has certainly a very promising potential of prosperity in the future. Pune leads all the districts in Maharashtra in nearly all fields such as agriculture, industry, export, technical training, diarying and horticulture, hotel, forestry, banking, finance, scientific research, technological innovations, professional expertise. 3.6 IMPORTANT GROWTH FACTORS FOR TOURISM Pune has been existing as a city of attraction for tourists. As a result there is evidenced «f the growth in different business activities related to tourism.