It is the uniqueness of the State’s coast — with its architecture, heritage and culture — that will drive the Coastal Master Plan rather than a competition with its neighbouring States. With Karnataka’s coast offering what its more popular neighbours, Goa and Kerala, have, it will be projected as an alternative rather than a competitor, said the private firm readying the master plan. “For example, Udupi, apart from being a temple town, has great architecture, beaches and nature,” Anil Kumar Bansal, director – Urban Infrastructure, IPE Global, which is preparing the master plan, explained. The roadmap also hopes to introduce lesser known aspects of the coast, including the stunning architecture of the mosques in Bhatkal, the churches in Mangaluru, and the ‘heritage villages’ in Udupi. Having in mind the intention to widen the variety of experiences one can have in Karnataka’s coast, the master plan may also create ‘clusters’ based on interests such as groups of places one can cover if they visit for religious tourism, or for eco-tourism. “The coastline does not have only beaches. Karnataka has beautiful backwaters, patches of which can be developed,” he said.
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