Karnataka pitches big tourism package

Over the last few weeks Mysore has been in focus for its development and promotion as a major tourist destination. It is likely to get a boost as deputy CM Siddaramaiah, who represents Mysore taluk, is keen to develop the major tourist attractions in and around Mysore which have remained neglected for decades.

The state government has been keen to keep pace with neighbouring states in developing the tourist spots in other parts of Karnataka too by creating better infrastructure.

It has drawn up a Rs 556-crore proposal for the comprehensive development of the tourist sector over five years. The proposal was placed before the Centre during the State Tourism Ministers' Conference in New Delhi on March 4.

The scheme covers the construction of rest houses every 50 km on state and National Highways with dormitories, formation of tourism parks in Mysore, Bangalore, Gulbarga, Belgaum and Hampi and allocation of Rs 10 crore to each of the 27 districts for development of tourist spots.

While the state tourism department is planning a special package for development of Hampi as an international tourist destination, the Jog Falls Development Authority is meeting on Monday to discuss measures to develop the spots that lacks facilities despite having one of the highest waterfalls.

The meeting is expected to consider the release of water to the falls from the Sharavathi Dam in summer, when the falls dries up.

The proposed tourism park on a 300-acre plot at the foothills of Chamundi Hills in Mysore is expected to take off in about three months, initially on 50 acres, with themes like rock garden, health tourism, eco-tourism and adventure tourism on the lines of 'Suraj Kund' near Delhi.

While fresh tenders will be invited for the construction of a ropeway to Chamundi Hills on the model of the one in Singapore, efforts are on to develop the Mandakalli airport to airlink Mysore. The ongoing four-lane Mysore-Bangalore highway work when completed is expected to give further boost to tourism to Mysore.

According to tourism minister D T Jayakumar, the Centre will release Rs 200 crore to Karnataka for Tourism Development during 2005-06.

While the tourism minister is keen to develop Karnataka's tourism sector to be on a par with neighbouring states, tourism commissioner Mahendra Jain feels the need for imaginative and aggressive promotion to develop tourism in the state.

The proposed new plans and proposals came into focus at a seminar on 'Tourism: Opportunities and Challenges', organised in Mysore by Banumaiah's Educational Institutions and the Rotary Mysore last week-end.