State plans film and media city at Bidadi

To invite EoI for project shortly

The department of tourism is planning to develop a Film and Media City at Bidadi near Bangalore and Wellness City at Kabini near Mysore. The department will soon float expression of interest (EoI) from the private sector for both the projects, G Janardhan Reddy, minister for infrastructure and tourism said.

“The department has identified 400 acres land at near Bidadi for the proposed film and media city and 200 acres land at Kabini near Mysore for Welllness City. We will call for expression of interest from the private sector for the both the projects in the next two weeks,” Reddy said.

Briefing reporters on the preparation for global investors’ meet (GIM) to be held here on June 3 and 4, he said the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation has been entrusted the job of coordinating for the film and media city. In addition to these two projects, the department is offering 10 other major tourism projects at the GIM.

He said the tenders are being finalised for heli-tourism projects. The department has identified four circuits for starting heli-tourism. The tenders will soon be finalised for the first circuit - Hampi, Badami, Aihole and Bijapur.

The state government is in the process of developing helipads and airports in about 40 major tourism destinations across the state. In the next one-year, at least 10-12 helipads will be built at a cost Rs 40 lakh each, K Jothiramalingam, principal secretary, department of tourism, said.

“The Karnataka Tourism 2010-20 Master Plan has set the framework for investment generation and competitiveness, employment generation, investments into theme parks, human resource development and real-time governance,” Jothiramalingam said.

Giving details of the projects on offer at GIM, K Viswanatha Reddy, director, department of tourism, said, “We have identified 3,000 acres both with the government and private sector to make it easier and swifter for tourism investors to set up their projects. The department has in its possession 1,003 acres spread over various places of tourism interest and the private sector has 2,255 acres. The investors can tie up with land owners and develop tourism infrastructure jointly.”

The major projects identified by the department include luxury hotel with wellness centre, arts and crafts centres at Bijapur, 3-star hotel at Badami, luxury hotel at Pattadakallu, Hampi, 3-star hotels at Chitradurga, Sagar, Hosanagar, Theerthahalli, luxury eco-resort at Sakleshpur, urban entertainment centre at Mysore and 18-hole golf course at Tannirbavi beach near Mangalore and an international convention centre at the Bangalore International Airport.

The tourism department will organise pre and post-GIM tours for the potential investors, he said.