Udupi: The Padubidri beach located at Padubidri village in Udupi district will get a major facelift at a cost of  8 crore under the Beach Management Services Scheme (BEAMS) of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The Ministry has chosen one beach each in the 13 coastal States and Union Territories under the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) plan and decided to set up infrastructure facilities there on a pilot basis.

Accordingly, the Padubidri beach would get facilities such as bio-toilet blocks, changing rooms with shower panels, jogging track with outdoor gym and children’s play area for recreational activities of beach-goers. The plan has provisions for purified drinking water on beach to avoid plastic bottles, composting and recycling of solid waste, adequate number of dustbins, seating benches, and amphibian wheel-chair for differently-abled people.

Under the plan, renewable energy (solar power) would be used and the entire beach would be illuminated with LED street lights for use at night. It would also provide for sit-out umbrellas with lounger chairs, recycling of water through effluent treatment plant, CCTV cameras for 24 x 7 surveillance and watch towers. Almost all these would be made with environment-friendly material at the beach.

In addition, the services of professional beach cleaners, security guards, lifeguards and first aid attendants would be provided to maintain cleanliness on the beach and prevent pollution going into the sea. Under the plan, the objective is to get Blue Flag certification for Padubidri beach. “The Blue Flag has stringent guidelines to be complied with on the beaches. The objective is to attract not just domestic but also international tourists to the beach,” Assistant Director of Tourism Anita B.R. told.

Once the project is implemented and the certification is received, it was expected to develop the belt from Padubidri to Kaup as facilities, including hotels, home-stays and resorts for tourists to reside, would come up. The technical bids had been opened for the project, which is being monitored by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

“It will give a boost to the local economy and generate employment as the beach would attract European tourists because of the Blue Flag certification,” said Deputy Commissioner Priyanka Mary Francis.