Puri district may soon get a major push in water-based adventure tourism, with the state tourism department identifying Puri Beach, Nua Nai River and Chandrabhaga Beach as proposed sites for water sports activities.
According to the report, the tourism department has started examining the technical feasibility of introducing water sports across five districts of Odisha. In Puri, the shortlisted locations are important because they already attract large numbers of tourists, pilgrims and beach visitors. If approved, these sites could add a new adventure tourism layer to Puri’s existing identity as a religious, cultural and coastal destination.
The proposed sites will undergo technical feasibility assessment under the Odisha Adventure Tourism Guidelines, 2025. The verification process will include field inspection, safety assessment and technical evaluation by experts, district-level committees and officials from the tourism department.
Tourism director Deepankar Mohapatra has reportedly asked district collectors to submit feasibility reports, including safety standard assessments, to the state-level technical committee for further examination and approval. Field inspections at the identified sites are expected to continue till May 20.
The state government has also launched the Go Adventure portal for registration, verification and licensing of adventure tourism projects. This is expected to help regulate operators and ensure that safety protocols are followed before such activities are opened to the public.
Other proposed water sports sites in Odisha include:
Rourkela: Pitamahal Dam
Sambalpur: Hirakud Dam
Ganjam: Chilika Lake, Tampara Lake and Gopalpur Beach
Jagatsinghpur: Paradip
Source: The Times of India