Udupi: The government land in and around the ports will be developed by ensuring basic infrastructure facilities to promote tourism in the district, said Udupi DC Priyanka Mary Francis on Tuesday, October 30th.

The DC directed the officials to identify such areas. The identified land will be given on lease for the promotion of tourism, said the DC.

However, the DC directed the officials not to directly hand over the land coming under Port and Fisheries department to the Tourism department. “A list of the available land should be prepared,” she said.

The Dc directed the officials to submit proposals for the development of sea walkways at the breakwaters at Kundapur Kodi and Gangolli similar to the sea walkway developed at Malpe. This would give a boost to tourism in these places.

Speaking later, at the meeting of Malpe Beach Development committee, he DC said that the boating facilities during weekends and holidays to St Mary’s Island should begin from 7 am as against the usual timing of 9 am, to deal with the to deal with the rush of tourists on weekends and holidays.

During the meeting it was also decided to purchase a jet ski and an ambulance as part of safety measures to save people from drowning near the beach. The road from the Karavali Junction to the Malpe port here, which was now a part of National Highway 169A, would be widened, said the DC.