Encouraged by a marginal improvement in the number of visitors to Mysuru palace, the authorities have decided to keep the iconic monument open during weekends as well as government holidays.
More than two months after the reopening of the palace, which had remained out of bounds during the COVID-19 lockdown, it has begun attracting decent number ranging between 100 and 200 visitors every day. Last weekend, the number of visitors was in the region of 400 to 500, Deputy Director of Palace Board Subramanya told The Hindu .
However, the numbers are still a far cry from the estimated 10,000 people who visited daily before the pandemic, making the monument one of the most visited ones in India.
After almost three months since its closure during the lockdown, Mysuru palace was reopened on June 8, but it drew just a handful of visitors amid fears of COVID-19 and other restrictions. The authorities, who were wary of a large number of people turning up at the monument, throwing social distancing to the winds, had chosen to keep the palace closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and government holidays.
Over the past few days, however, the footfall has increased gradually with students and young people accounting for the maximum number of visitors. When the authorities kept the palace open last Sunday, more than 400 visitors turned up, Mr. Subramanya said.
“Once we make an announcement that the palace will remain open during the weekends, we expect more visitors,” he said. The Palace Board authorities are also anticipating a jump in the number of visitors in view of the decision to reopen Brindavan Gardens from the first week of September.
The palace will henceforth remain open on all days of the week from 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. However, the illumination of the palace during the evening on Sundays and the sound and light programme will remain suspended until further notice.
Meanwhile, the response for online tickets to Mysuru palace has remained poor, with most of the visitors purchasing tickets directly from the counter. The palace authorities are continuing with the safety measures, including conducting thermal scanning of visitors and advising people above the age of 65 to come back after a couple of weeks.
