The state’s tourism department will soon boast of a massive marine theme park similar to the ones in Florida, Texas and California in the US. The state government has granted permission for the creation of a Sea World Park in the Konkan region. Built over 150 acres of land, the over Rs500-crore theme park will be the first of its kind in Asia.

The project is expected to be completed in three years and will attract over a million tourists every year. According to plan, the park will have glass-enclosed underwater viewing tunnels to closely experience sea life and see over 3,000 marine animals. Visitors can also feed animals like seals while children can enjoy dolphins having a ball. The park will also act a school for sensitising people about animal life with lessons on rescuing animals and environmental conservation.

The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) will soon initiate a process to acquire land for the project. “Once completed, it will be a major tourist attraction in the state,” said Sanjay Dhekane, senior manager, MTDC.

Officials said the project was approved by the state government during the recently concluded assembly session and that the feasibility study for the theme park has already been completed. Some part of the land needs to be acquired and the process for it will be initiated soon.

The exact location where the park will come up in Konkan was not revealed. But officials said Konkan was selected because it is blessed with nature - pristine beaches, coral reefs, dolphins and an abundance of endangered underwater animals - similar to the Pacific Ocean. “It is ideal for marine tourism,” officials said.

The MTDC said the Konkan project will come up near the sea and will have other recreational facilities too. Since it is a capital intensive project, MTDC officials are mulling about opting for the public-private partnership model.

There are three similar parks in the US which are popular with families. They attract millions of visitors every year. A similar project was planned in Dubai, but was shelved after the economic downturn a couple of year ago.