Karnataka's Coastal Development Authority proposes ₹100-cr tourism, livelihood projects

The Coastal Development Authority of Karnataka has submitted a ₹100-crore proposal to the State government to develop sea-front, marine drive, and fish processing centres along the coastal districts.

The projects spanning Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts envisage upgrading the coastal belt as a tourist spot and augment livelihood of fishing communities.

At a foundation laying ceremony for various developmental programmes on Friday, Mattar Ratnakar Hegde, Chairman of the authority, said it has submitted the proposal to the State government.

Plans include the construction of a sea-walk along Someshwara and Tannirbavi beaches in Mangaluru taluk, and to set up tourist facilitation centres and surfing schools at Tannirbavi and Sasihithlu beaches.

The authority has also proposed to take up developmental activities and to provide facilities for sound-and-light show near the lighthouse on Kaup beach in Udupi district. Fish processing centres are planned in the three coastal districts.

He said that the authority had proposed 166 works along coastal Karnataka during 2020-21. Of them, 69 have been completed. Work is in progress in other projects. The authority functions under the Department of Planning, Programme Coordination and Statistics of Karnataka government.

KC Narayana Gowda, Karnataka Minister for Planning, Programme Coordination and Statistics, laid the foundation stone for various projects.