Maharashtra has received its first international Blue Flag beach recognition, with Ladghar and Guhagar in Ratnagiri district and Shrivardhan in Raigad district selected for the 2026-27 season. The award places the three beaches among 22 Indian beaches recognised under the programme this season and will take effect from November 15.
The International Blue Flag jury granted the recognition after the beaches met standards covering environmental conservation, cleanliness, bathing-water quality, biodiversity protection, tourist safety, basic infrastructure and sustainable tourism management, according to a government press release reported by Times of India. The programme is an international quality certification for beaches that meet prescribed environmental and visitor-management requirements.
The recognition marks Maharashtra’s first entry on the international Blue Flag list. Of the 22 beaches recognised across India for the coming season, 13 retained or renewed their status while nine were newly recognised, the report said. The three Maharashtra beaches are among the new additions.
Officials attributed the result to coordinated work by the state Environment and Climate Change Department and Tourism Department, along with district collectors, district administrations, local self-government bodies, gram panchayats, Beach Management Committees, local residents and other agencies. The involvement of these institutions indicates that the certification process extends beyond beach beautification to local administration, sanitation, safety, water-quality monitoring and ongoing environmental management.
State environment and climate change minister Pankaja Munde said the Blue Flag programme would be used to develop other eligible beaches along Maharashtra’s coastline to international standards. She said the initiative could support local employment, tourism businesses and the wider economy while protecting coastal environments. Munde also described the recognition as global acknowledgement of the state’s efforts in environmental conservation, cleanliness and sustainable tourism.
The award now moves into its implementation phase. The official Blue Flags are being brought from the Netherlands and will be handed over to the state Environment and Climate Change Department. The Blue Flag season at Ladghar, Guhagar and Shrivardhan is scheduled to begin on November 15, after which the state plans to continue work on other beaches that may qualify under the programme.
