More facilities are on the anvil for both the local people and tourists who visit the picturesque Malpe beach here.
A large number of people from Udupi and around as well as from different places of the State flock to this beach during the evenings to watch sunset.
The maintenance of Malpe Beach is supervised by the Malpe Beach Development Committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner, with the Udupi City Municipal Council (CMC) Commissioner as its member-secretary.
In its plan for the development of the beach, the committee has decided to implement works worth Rs. 38 lakh. The committee has already issued the work order to the Nirmiti Kendra to execute the plan. As per the plan, as many as 10 granite benches would be installed facing the beach on the road leading to the tourist jetty.
A toilet complex would be constructed at the corner of the tourist jetty road at a cost of Rs. 19 lakh. It would have three bathrooms and three toilets for gents and three bathrooms and two toilets for ladies. “The toilets and bathrooms would be available on pay-and-use basis,” said Project Director of the Kendra Arun Kumar.
A 24-feet high watch-and-ward tower will be constructed near the drinking water facility on the road leading to the Gandhi statue at the beach.
The tower would have a ground floor housing the office of the Malpe Beach Development Committee, and the first floor would house the tower with windows on all sides to keep a watch on all activities at the beach.
A retention wall would be constructed on the eastern side of the road leading to the tourist jetty and parking facility would be created for 25 cars. “We intend to complete all these works by the end of June,” Mr. Kumar said.
Lifeguard facility was introduced at the beach last year to prevent people from swimming in the sea. Most tourists used to go to swim without understanding the rough nature of sea waves. “The lifeguard facility has brought down drowning incidents to zero,” said Deputy Commissioner R. Vishal.
Though there were motor boats, speed boats, water scooters and para-sailing facilities for tourists at the beach, their functioning has now been regulated. “We have given stern instructions to those operating these facilities to give priority to tourist safety,” said D. Manjunathayya, CMC Commissioner.
“We want to attract more tourists to Malpe as it is a jewel in the crown of all the good beaches we have in the district,” said Mr. Vishal.
