It was our Sunday morning face-palm moment. As we scanned through a national daily, we spotted a story related to tourism data on Maharashtra that was released by MTDC (Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation). It included future plans that officials had spelt out for Mumbai. There was a mention to introduce shopping arenas and a cafeteria on the Elephanta Island, home to Elephanta Caves, which is UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the past, this newspaper and this column has reported extensively on the lack of basic tourist facilities (starting with clean toilets) and a stricter environment policy as well as continuous ruin of the cave sites on the island. But this announcement seems to have sidestepped these issues, once again.

We’ve visited the island on countless occasions, and each time we step off the boat onto the ill-kept jetty, the neglect gets increasingly obvious. Despite it being pegged as a must-visit destination on national and international tourist itineraries, the ignorance over the lack of important amenities is appalling. From litter-strewn walkways, and aggressive guides out to fleece unsuspecting tourists to unhygienic restaurants and unchecked commercialisation and construction, the list of woes would run into pages. The ‘museum’ near the entry/exit point of the site needs to be seen to be believed. With disinterested staff (often bordering on rude) and the lack of an informed help desk, it’s anyone’s guess what impression it leaves for the first-time tourist.