Karnataka plans country’s first marina at Byndoor

The Karnataka Government will build the country's first Marina or a boat basin offering dockage, at Byndoor in Udupi district to promote coastal tourism in Karnataka, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has said.

The government will also seek permission from the Centre for the relaxation of coastal regulation zone (CRZ) to take up beach tourism in coastal areas and pilgrim tourism, he said, speaking at a function to unveil the Seven Wonders of Karnataka, organised by the Karnataka Tourism Department, on Saturday.

The government will collect the history of the greatest dynasties such as Ganga, Kadamba, Rashtrakoota, Chalukya, and Hoysala from the Department of Archaeology and develop the history of tourism in the state. This will not only help the development of tourism but also help people understand the rich history of the state, he said.

The government, Bommai said, has proposed to build a corridor of the ancient temples including Madhukeshwara in Banavasi and Dattatreya in Ganagapura and promote `Yatra tourism'.

The government will develop the Benakal area while Anjanadri Hill is under development. There is also a scheme to pay a monthly honorarium of Rs 5000 to the recognized tourist guides.

Karnataka is blessed with nature's bounty. It has a 350-km coastal area, 10 different weather zones, 400-km of the Western Ghats, a rich biodiversity with sunshine for 300 days, and several rivers.