Miscreants Break Benches of States First Sea Walkway at Malpe
Udupi: There is a saying that goes “it takes years to build, but seconds to break”. This is clearly applicable to the state’s first sea walkway which was inaugurated on January 26 in Malpe. Some miscreants have recently broken the benches of the walkway during the night time.
Former Udupi MLA Pramod Madhwaraj had inaugurated the state’s first 480-meter sea walkway near the Malpe Tourism Jetty on January 26. This is the second sea walkway in the country after the one in Kerala, built at a cost of Rs 54 lakh. The walkway is near the Malpe port, the second port in the nation with the largest number of fishing boats.
The length of the walkway point is 500 meters with a width of 8.5 meters. The other attractions of this point include 15 benches and 30 ornamental lights with steel railings on both sides built on laterite stone, which has created a unique landmark for Malpe Beach. To add beauty to the way, statues of a fishermen’s family have been sculpted with cement and sand. The big statues show a fisherman carrying an oar, a fisherwoman with a basket on her head and their child following them with a bag.
Tourists can experience the beach on one side and the Padukere river on the other as well as St Mary’s Island, Bhadragada Island and the Lighthouse. Tourists can also see the fishing boats entering the dock in the evening.
The worst part about this incident is that the walkway was built to provide better facilities for tourists. After the inauguration of the sea walkway, miscreants had damaged the statue. Now, they have broken the benches.
According to the public, there are no restrictions to enter the sea walkway during the night. So some people come here and drink. It is said that the damage was being done after consumption of alcohol during the night.
The District Administration, the Tourism Department and the Beach Development Committee have given preference to keeping the sea walkway clean but without the support of the tourists. The tourists and some miscreants throw alcohol bottles near the walkway instead of disposing them into dustbins.
Speaking to the Mangalorean.com correspondent, Sudesh Shetty, the in-charge of Malpe Beach Development Committee, said, “It is very sad that some miscreants have damaged the sea walkway which was built for tourists. The Malpe Development Committee has taken this matter seriously. It has already been decided that CCTV and a gate will be installed. At the same time, the committee has decided to restrict entry to the sea walkway after 9:00 pm. The damaged benches will be repaired after the rains.”
