Mysore, September 25, 2013: Minister for Tourism R.V. Deshpande said here on Tuesday that the department was coming up with a slew of measures to popularise and attract more visitors to this year’s Dasara festivities.

Addressing presspersons here after unveiling a tourist package for Dasara, Mr. Deshpande said publicity materials would be displayed on domestic flights. FM radio services would be availed in cities such as Ahmadabad, Chennai, Pune, Bangalore, Kolkata, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mysore and Mangalore. The All India Radio would broadcast a live running commentary on the Jamboo Savari, he said.

The issue of exempting entry tax for vehicles from Mandya and Chamarajanagar districts was being looked into.

The ‘hop-on hop-off’ bus services was being introduced in the city, involving Volvo and regular city buses to tour various destinations across Mysore. Gold card pass in Volvo is priced at Rs. 100 a day, while it was Rs. 60 a day for other city buses, Mr. Deshpande said.

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation and the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation had joined hands to organise tour packages from Mysore to Ranganathittu, Srirangapatna and Kokrebellur (Rs. 380 per person); Mysore, Nanjangud, Gopalaswamy Betta, Bandipur (Rs. 390); Mysore, Srirangapatna, Talakadu, Shimsha (Rs. 395); Mysore, Biligirirangana Betta, K. Gudi (Rs. 395), and Mysore, Bylakuppe, Madikeri (Rs. 450), the Minister said.

Besides, the other packages are: ‘Giridarshini’ package to cover Bandipur, Gopalaswamy Betta, Biligirirangana Betta, Nanjangud, Chamundi Betta (Rs. 325 for adults, Rs. 160 for children); ‘Jaladarshini’ package to cover Golden Temple, Nisargadhama, Abbey Falls, Raja Seat, Harangi Reservoir in Kodagu and KRS in Mandya (Rs. 350 for adults, Rs. 175 for children); ‘Devadarshini’ package to cover temples in Nanjangud, Talakadu, Shivanasamudra, Mudukutore, Somanathapura, Srirangapatna and KRS (Rs. 250 per adult, Rs. 125 for children), and ‘Nagaradarshini’ trip to cover Nanjangud, Chamundi Hills, Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, palace, Srirangapatna and KRS (Rs. 200 for adults and Rs. 100 for children), Mr. Deshpande said.

Exhibition

For the first time, private entrepreneurs are participating in the Dasara exhibition by opening 106 stalls.

Apart from this, 101 stalls would be given to artisans from outside the State to display their products, he said.

Mr. Deshpande said steps would be taken to provide clean drinking water, toilets, among others.

Source: The Hindu, September 25, 2013