Karnataka Coast Gears Up for New Year; Heavy Crowds at Temples and Beaches, Traffic Swells

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Dec 28, 2025: The coastal region is all set to welcome the New Year, with parks, malls, temples, tourist destinations and beaches witnessing heavy footfall on Sunday. The surge in public movement led to traffic congestion on several major roads across the city and surrounding areas.

In recent years, the coast has seen varied and growing forms of New Year celebrations, and the trend continued this year as festivities drew closer. Tourist spots, temples and beaches recorded a sharp increase in visitors, with many people who arrived during the Christmas holidays opting to extend their stay to ring in the New Year along the coast.

Large numbers of devotees were seen at temples across the coastal belt, while beaches and tourist destinations remained crowded throughout the day. Events such as Coastal Utsav, Pilikula Parba and programmes organised at beaches by the district administration attracted sizeable crowds, providing a boost to organisers. Special New Year programmes at major malls in the city further added to the rush.

Wedding functions at halls across different parts of the city also contributed to traffic snarls. With night-time wedding receptions becoming increasingly common, congestion was more pronounced in several key areas. Passenger movement in both government-run and private buses also rose significantly, adding to the overall traffic load.