NMPT to build rest-rooms for tourists in 2 Karnataka districts.

Considering the lack of good rest-rooms in places of tourist interest, New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) has decided to build four such facilities in two districts of coastal Karnataka.

NMPT Chairman MT Krishna Babu said cruise vessels from different parts of the world call at the port regularly and tourists visit places of interest in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. These visitors expect clean and aesthetically appealing facilities.

Considering this, NMPT has initiated the process to improve toilet facilities near two temples — Kadri and Kudroli — in Mangaluru, near a Jain basadi in Moodbidri of Dakshina Kannada district, and near the Gomateshwara statue in Karkala taluk of Udupi district. The decision follows the feedback the port received from cruise tourists. Many tourists complained of lack of good rest-rooms at the places they visited, he said.

The construction of these toilets will be taken up on a priority basis. Stating that these rest rooms will be maintained by NMPT, he said just construction of toilets and leaving their maintenance to the locals may not help. He made it clear that these toilets would not be limited just to the use of cruise tourists. The toilets are for all tourists visiting these areas and will be available round the clock.

NMPT will also construct toilets in two other areas, and the district administration and Mangaluru City Corporation have been asked to suggest those locations.

New Mangalore Port handled 24,258 passengers and 22 cruise vessels during the 2017-18 season. The traffic manager of NMPT had recently stated that the port is likely to handle 32 cruise vessels during the current season. The season concludes in May.

HBL