Mangaluru: The rivers near Mangaluru may soon have boat houses and cruise restaurants.

Realizing the importance of rivers and backwaters in boosting tourism, Dakshina Kannada tourism department has launched several initiatives including infrastructure development and services like Boat Houses and Cruise Restaurants.

The coastal stretch in Dakshina Kannada district has four major rivers- Netravathi, Phalguni, Nandini and Shambhavi. Mangaluru city itself is situated between Netravathi and Phalguni. Though beach tourism has gained importance in the district, river tourism still remains untapped.

Realizing the attraction of river tourism in the nearby states and districts, the DK tourism department has now decided to take various measures to boost the unexplored river tourism that has the potential to attract more people and thereby make Dakshina Kannada district a good tourist destination.

“Permission has been granted to set up two house boats and three cruise restaurants. These will come up at three places- on the Phalguni river near Kuloor, near the Bridge on the Netravathi River and also near Sasihithlu beach on Nandini River. They may become operational shortly,” says tourism department officer Udaykumar Shetty

At present two cruise restaurants exist near Mangaluru.

There are investors who have shown their willingness to invest in river tourism. Utilising the funds under Swadesh Darshan, the tourism department has decided to improve infrastructure like Jetty and sitting facility on the river banks in four places –  near the Aircrash Memorial in Kuloor, Sultan Battery, Thota Bengre and Sasihithlu. The proposal has already been sent to the government and the nod is awaited.