Bhubaneswar: In a bid to boost the revenue from beach tourism, the Odisha government has decided to provide modern amenities like Goa beaches at six locations along the coast.
The government will introduce the facility of beach shacks on Puri-Konark marine drive in Puri district, Gopalpur in Ganjam district, Talsari-Udaipur beach in Balasore district, Chandipur in Balasore district, Pati Sonapur in Ganjam district and Paradip beach in Jagatsinghpur district, according to official sources.
The tourists can enjoy food, chilled beverages and music and the sea on these beaches. “The beach shacks will have a refreshing ambience along with delectable food, chilled alcohol, and most importantly, the backdrop of white sands and gushing waves,” Tourism secretary Vishal Dev was quoted as saying by a news agency.
The department is identifying the land for the shacks in consultation with the Revenue and Forest departments. While the land will be allotted on lease for three years, the government will provide infrastructure facilities like power, water and sewage. The Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) has already invited applications for the operation of shacks, the sources said.
Since serving liquor in beach shacks is allowed under the Excise Policy, 2021, the OTDC will obtain a licence from the Excise department for the operators of each location.
