Around the City for Rs 300

Around the City for Rs 300
Deccan HErald

The Tourism Department is planning to upgrade ‘weekend getaways’ in and around Bangalore to boost City tourism.

The Tourism Department is planning to upgrade ‘weekend getaways’ in and around Bangalore to boost City tourism.

Speaking to reporters at a function on Friday, Tourism Principal Secretary I M Vittal Murthy said the department has identified about 40 tourist spots on the outskirts of Bangalore which do not have even basic infrastructure such as roads, toilets and food joints, for being developed. The upgradation will be done within a year.

These places include Nandi Hills, Galibore, Muthyalamaduvu on Kanakapura Road and scenic spots along the River Cauvery.

The idea behind the move is to ensure that tourists spend at least two days in Bangalore. “Usually, tourists treat Bangalore as a stopover and prefer to spend more time in Mysore. We want to create sightseeing spots in Bangalore so that people stay here for longer and not just for business reasons,” Mr Murthy explained.

He also asked Star hoteliers to divert their investment to areas like Bannerghatta Road which have a high potential for tourism. Mr Murthy added that special focus will be given to upgradation of government-owned Jungle Lodges and Resorts properties.

City Swaps

Five open roof double-decker buses will ply through 15 destinations every 30 minutes, covering Vidhana Soudha, Raj Bhavan, Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, Cubbon Park, Government Museum, Cauvery Emporium and Mayo Hall. City jockeys will give company to passengers, providing them with stories and snippets of Bangalore enroute.

For details contact phone 080-2558 0660. Tickets are priced at Rs 300 for adults and Rs 150 for children.

The tickets hold 24 hour validity.