Dakshina Kannada district administration has grand plans to develop Tannirbhavi beach and its surroundings into a mega tourist attraction with the Blue Flag tag, water sports, and development of a river island (Kudru).
According to Mangaluru City North MLA Y. Bharath Shetty, the process of developing Tannirbhavi into Blue Flag standards would commence immediately at an estimated cost of ₹7.5 crore, which would be used to provide various basic amenities, including toilets, changing rooms, and security personnel. Once these facilities are in place, the administration would apply for Blue Flag certification.
The administration had sought Blue Flag tag for two beaches in the district, the Idya beach , near Surathkal, being the other. A fresh appeal would be made to the Centre to consider Idya for the Blue Flag tag, Dr. Shetty said.
Besides utilising ₹7.5 crore for the Blue Flag project, the administration would utilise another ₹9.5 crore from the Mangaluru Smart City Ltd. funds to undertake further development works around Tannirbhavi, the MLA said. They include construction of a jetty on the bank of Phalguni (Gurupura) river to facilitate movement of tourists from Sulthan Battery to Tannirbhavi, construction of a mini-stadium and provision for parking of vehicles close to the entrance to the beach.
Provision would be made to set up kiosks selling water sports-related equipment on the footpath from the main road to the beach.
Development of Kudru island
Dr. Shetty said the administration plans to develop the adjacent Nair Kudru into a tourist attraction at an estimated cost of ₹40 crore. An amphitheatre, a go-kart race track, and a dirt track are some of the tourist infrastructure planned at Nair Kudru on Phalguni river, the MLA said while laying the foundation stone for the Blue Flag beach work at Tannirbhavi on September 27.
Beaches to ghats
Deputy Commissioner K.V. Rajendra said preparations are on to hold the Karavali Utsav to attract more tourists to the district. The administration is seriously working on tapping the rich tourism potential in the district, from beaches to the ghats. While a tender has been announced to develop Panambur beach on public-private partnership basis, an eco-tourism project would come up on 29 acres of deemed forest land at Sasihithlu beach.
Karnataka Coastal Area Development Authority Chairperson Mattar Ratnakar Hegde inaugurated the World Tourism Day celebrations in the presence of Deputy Conservator of Forests Y.K. Dinesh Kumar, Deputy Director of Tourism Manikya and others.
