Tourism Minister C.P. Yogeshwar held talks with Pramoda Devi Wadiyar of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family on Sunday for setting up helipads at Lalitha Mahal Palace Grounds in Mysuru and Palace Grounds in Bengaluru as part of the State government’s initiative to begin heli-tourism.
The State government plans to set up helipads in Mysuru and Bengaluru, besides other places of tourist interest in the State like Hampi, Jog Falls and Mangaluru, as part of its heli-tourism circuit. As the journeys by road or rail are time-consuming for the tourists, the government has proposed setting up helipads to faciliate the tourists to hop from one destination to another.
The government has identified Palace Grounds in Bengaluru and Lalitha Mahal grounds in Mysuru for helipads. The meeting between Mr. Yogeshwar and Ms. Wadiyar was held to seek the royal family’s permission for the same.
Already, the Lalitha Mahal grounds in Mysuru had been serving as a helipad for successive Chief Ministers and other dignitaries. However, the royal family had claimed ownership of the land on which the Lalitha Mahal helipad was situated following a High Court ruling and had erected a signboard warning trespassers of legal action.
Mr. Yogeshwar, however, claimed that Ms. Wadiyar had responded positively to the heli-tourism project. He sought her suggestions to further promote tourism in Mysuru. He was accompanied by actor and chairperson of KSTDC Shruthi.
Before meeting Ms. Wadiyar, Mr. Yogeshwar visited Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda’s Ashram on Nanjangud Road on the outskirts of Mysuru and sought the seer’s blessings.
He said Mysuru was known globally for its sandalwood, silk, handicrafts, Mysore Pak, and many other things. He said he would work on promoting ‘Brand Mysuru’ on the global tourism map.
The tourism in Mysuru, which had sufferred a setback due to COVID-19, would be brought back on track soon. He added that efforts to celebrate this year’s Dasara festivities on a grand scale will begin months earlier.
He said there was a need to have programmes in the evening in the city, which is also known as the cultural capital of Karnataka. Tourists should be offered interesting and engaging options so that they stay on for atleast two to three days in the city, he said.
