NO WATER: Fountains at Brindavan Gardens have dried up because of low water level in the KRS reservoir on Friday. — PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM

MYSORE: Brindavan Gardens, which has remained closed for the past 12 weeks, will be opened for tourists from April 30.

Inspector General of Police (Southern Range) R.P. Sharma, who inspected the gardens along with senior police officials on Friday, said permission had been given to Cauvery Neeravari Nigam (CNN) to reopen the famous tourist destination.

In view of security concerns, Brindavan Gardens had been kept out of bounds for tourists since the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal delivered its final award on February 5. "It was not just the agitation over Cauvery issue, there were multiple factors. Now, everything is clear," Mr. Sharma told presspersons.

Meanwhile, CNN Executive Engineer Vijaykumar told The Hindu that gardens would be reopened from April 30 according to the decision taken by the police authorities.

He said that the nigam, which was the custodian of Brindavan Gardens, had received instructions from the Government to keep the tourist destination out of bounds for visitors in view of the volatile situation prevailing in the region because of the Cauvery dispute. "The safety of the dam is very important. Hence, it was closed down. Now, we will be reopening it," Mr. Vijaykumar said. However, the gardens that attracts thousands of visitors every day, presented a pathetic sight on Friday with its fountains dried up because of low water level in the KRS reservoir. The water level stood at 74.5 feet on Friday against the 87.26 feet on the same day last year.

"We barely have 2 tmc feet of water in the reservoir. About 2,800 cusecs of water has been released from Hemavathi reservoir to replenish the stock at KRS," he said.

Meanwhile, a large number of people, who earn their livelihood from the petty shops, roadside vendors, restaurants and hotels in and around KRS reservoir, appealed to the police authorities to reopen the gardens at the earliest.

Memorandum

Gracian Rodrigues who runs a restaurant on the KRS Road submitted a memorandum to the Inspector General of Police seeking the early reopening of Brindavan Gardens.

During January this year, a total of 2,56,324 people had visited the gardens.

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