Food, shopping to spice up Mangalore beaches

MANGALORE: The beaches in Mangalore will soon be “happening places” with several activities planned for visitors.If the makeover of beaches happens on the lines of the ‘Panabmur beach model’, visitors to beaches in Tanir Bavi and Someshwar can shop for exotic memorabilia at beachfront shops, stuff themselves with sea-food delicacies and cap the memorable beach experience with boat trips. From June 20, a committee headed by Mangalore City Corporation Commissioner (MCC) will shortlist eligible players to provide this beach experience for visitors.“Shortlisted bidders will be recommended to District Tourism Committee (DTC) chairman and district Deputy Commissioner N S Channappa Gowda,” Department of Tourism Assistant Director M R Prakash told Express.As many as six firms had submitted bids to Tanir Bavi and two firms to Someshwar beach development projects. Prakash says leasing out a two-km stretch of coastline in Someshwar beach and four km in Tanir Bavi beach for over five years is a win-win situation for the government.“The department, prior to inviting tenders, had begun beautifying three beaches each at a cost of `78.60 lakh,” he informs and adds that permanent assets will not only be well maintained by successful bidders but life guards appointed by them would also prevent drowning incidents.Panambur modelThe home-grown Panambur model is also being replicated along the eastern and western coasts. The biggest achievement of the model conceptualised and implemented by banker-turnedentrepreneur Yatish Baikampady of Jyothi Advertisers lay in completely putting an end to drowning incidents.Baikampady says the model had attracted officials from Tamil Nadu, Orissa.and Maharashtra.