Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (MM/GA) - pics - Dayanand Kukkaje

Mangalore, Apr 16: Efforts must be made to develop infrastructure in order to attract investors for promoting tourism in the coastal area, said N Yogish Bhat, chairman of Karnataka State Infrastructural Development Corporation (KSIDC).

He was speaking after visiting prospective places for tourism development around the city on Monday April 16.

Government of Karnataka had reserved a total Rs 145 crore in its last budget for promoting tourism in the state. Out of this a total amount of Rs 95 crore has been reserved for promoting coastal tourism. In the initial stage, preference must be given to infrastructural development. KSIDC has been appointed as nodal agency for this purpose, he informed.

Identifying the destination points is the first task in this matter. Survey work will be undertaken in the later days to find out the available land for development of infrastructural facilities. With the help of public-private participation, infrastructure must be developed, he added.

A total of 205 acres of land is available around city for the purpose of tourism promotion. Officials have been instructed to protect this land from the hands of encroachers. Marine aquarium park and ropeway project are under consideration, said he.

Earlier, Shobha Nambisan, secretary of KSIDC, Jere, executive director of KSIDC along with DC Maheswara Rao and other officials of the district visited Hoige Bazaar, Lee Well, Sultan Battery, Tannirbavi and Bengre to study the possibilities of tourism development around the city. Yogish Bhat headed the team.