Aqua sports on the cards at Talapady beach

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Sep 28, 2018: The Talapady (Batpady) beach, on Kerala border, is set to be developed for aqua adventure sports, said Assistant Director (in-charge) of Tourism Department Uday Shetty Sept 27,  Thursday.

 

Speaking at the World Tourism Day celebrations at Mangalore University, Uday  Shetty said the beach will be developed by a private firm on the public-private-partnership model.

“The firm will improve facilities at the beach. In another five years you will see a change (in the facilities) on the beach,” he said.

The private firm will build washrooms, a food court and provide parking and drinking water facilities, he said. Mr. Shetty said the department has proposed building of jetties near Kuloor bridge, Sultan Battery and Bengre for operating house boats and cruise restaurant.

These jetties will be built as part of the Rs. 95.67-crore coastal circuit development taken up under the Union government’s Swadesh Darshan scheme. Mr. Shetty said the department has also proposed under the scheme to improve facilities at Tannirbhavi and Sasihitlu beaches.

The Sasihitlu beach was being developed as a place for surfing. Apart from hosting the annual surfing competition, the department has proposed to hold more activities at the Sasihiltu beach.

 Shetty said about 80% of the around 1.4-crore annual tourist footfall to Dakshina Kannada was related to religious tourism. The next important ones was visit to beaches. Though neighbouring Kerala has taken a lead in improving facilities for tourism, the State government was coming out with programmes for improving beaches and creating more facilities for stay of tourists. The government was giving a maximum of Rs. 1.2 crore subsidy for opening resorts and hotels in Mangaluru and Dharmastala, he said. The programme was organised jointly by Mangalore University’s Department of MBA (Tourism and Travel Management) and Tourism Department.