Alibaug: The holiday week from Christmas to New Year has promoted tourists to flock beaches of Raigad. The majority of the resorts and homestays have already been sold out owing to the season and special packages provided in its backdrop. The entire district of Raigad is housefull.
Places such as Alibaug, Murud, Kashid, Kihim, Harihareshwar, Matheran, and Karnala Sanctuary are among the most visited places in the district. The past four days have seen tourist footfall of 2.5 lakh people in the Albaug and Murud area alone. The holiday season starts from Diwali and peaks at December end. The cold weather coincides with holidays and people find their way to these destinations.
The season is the golden period for local business owners including resorts, homestays, hotels, waterparks, and other recreational activities. In addition to the beaches, Raigad Fort, Mahad, Pali's Ashtavinayak temples, and Birla Ganesh Mandir at Salav have also seen a spike in tourist visits.
For the security and safety of the tourists, the police force has increased caution at the beaches. Every beach has a police help center. The officials have overenthusiastic tourists and drunken people on their radar. Every vehicle is being checked at major posts. The police have also appealed to the public to celebrate responsibly.
"For the next seven days, the district will be full of tourists. We have made necessary plans to avoid traffic vows due to tourist activity. Special teams have been appointed to keep an eye on the drunkards. We have also prepared local police forces to ensure that devotees visiting Ballaleshwar and Varad Vinayak have a smooth and peaceful visit."- Somnath Gharge, District Police Superintendent