The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Mysore to be transformed into tourism, cultural hub

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Thursday, Aug 21, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Mysore to be transformed into tourism, cultural hub

Special Correspondent

It’s time development activities shifted to Mysore: Minister

Mysore airport to be ready in three months
Number of invitees to main function to be restricted

— Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

Royal touch: Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Shobha Karandlaje with Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar in Bangalore on Wednesday.

Bangalore: The world famous Dasara, Jamboo Savari and its salubrious climate will be utilised to chalk out a plan to transform Mysore into a second major tourism-cultural hub as well as textile centre by taking up infrastructure development in the next three years.

Disclosing this to reporters, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Shobha Karandlaje said the airport would be ready in three months for private aircraft and six months to business class aircraft for landing. The Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board has handed over 311 acres of land to the airport.

Ms. Karandlaje, also Minister in-charge of the district, said the travel to Mysore would be comfortable when the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise project would be completed. The State Government had requested the Centre to take up doubling of Bangalore-Mysore railway line. She said Bangalore was congested and it was time development activities shifted to Mysore.

Ms. Karandlaje said the city of palaces would get back its cultural glory by giving a royal touch to the Dasara festivities. Srikanthadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar and his sisters would be involved to official functions.

Sri Shivakumara Swamiji of the Siddaganga Math has been requested to inaugurate the Dasara festivities. With a view to providing safety and security to the people, the Union Government had been asked to send central forces for security along with the State police. She said close circuit cameras and metal detectors would be installed at all sensitive places and important junctions.

The Krishnaraja Sagar, Srirangapatna and other places would be developed as tourist destinations. The Defence authorities at Pune had assured that they would consider sending their personnel to the procession. For the first time, exclusive Dasara festivities would be held for farmers, women and children on different days.

The Minister said that the number of invitees to the main function would be restricted to 6,000, including 1,000 people with gold cards. Pamphlets

The Government, she said intended to invite members of the erstwhile royal families in the country as chief guests.

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