Considering ‘Karnataka Mandapam’ on lines of Bharat Mandapam:CM

Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday said the state government was considering constructing a ‘Karnataka Mandapam’ on the lines of Delhi’s Bharat Mandapam, with Jakkur, Mysuru Lamps or NGEF premises near a metro station under consideration as possible sites. The proposal is part of the government’s efforts to promote tourism by leveraging Karnataka’s natural, cultural and heritage wealth, Shivakumar said while inaugurating the first Karnataka Tourism Awards at Palace Grounds here on World Tourism Day, a government press release said.
He said the government was also considering promoting tourism in Kodagu and the Malnad region while ensuring that the environment and local culture were protected. "Tourism gives pleasure to the eyes and the mind. The environment of our state is our biggest asset. Our government is encouraging tourism, including art, culture and entertainment," he said.
Shivakumar said more than two lakh foreign passport holders were working in Bengaluru, and that new hotels would be able to secure permissions within two to three months through the ease-of-doing-business mechanism. The chief minister said the state had not fully utilised its 360-km coastline and announced that the government had approved the Coastal Malnad Karnataka Tourism Policy-2026 to leverage the natural and cultural wealth of the coastal and Malnad regions."Under this, it has been decided to accord 'industry and infrastructure status' to tourism projects," he said. Shivakumar said the government would also seek the Centre's support in addressing issues arising from Coastal Regulation Zone rules, citing policies in Kerala and Goa.
Shivakumar also said the government would identify a suitable location and implement the proposed Asia's tallest sky deck project through a public-private partnership model. Referring to the proposed 'Mangaluru Eye', a Dubai-style sky tower and tourist attraction, he said its implementation would be difficult and time-consuming and that decisions taken in Mangaluru needed to be followed up with implementation.

(State Correspondent)