Dasara fest: Cauvery dispute takes a toll on tourist flow

The 402nd edition of Dasara seems to be paying for the Cauvery agitation as it has failed to attract large number of tourists.

 It has been more than 10 days after the Bangalore- Mysore Highway was opened to traffic following the withdrawal of the Cauvery agitation, but visitors have chosen to stay away from several tourist spots.

 Brindavan Gardens, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary and other tourist places in Srirangapatna taluk of Mandya district are the worst-hit.

 While the number of visitors to Krishna Raja Sagara has gone to an all-time low, with less than 50 per cent footfall recorded this year compared to last year, the situation in Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary is worse.

 Brindavan Gardens has not even been illuminated or whitewashed this season.

 Ranganathittu’s revenue collection in the first 12 days of October was just Rs 90,000, compared to the corresponding period last year when it was Rs 13 lakh.

 Even nature proved hostile to the bird sanctuary as heavy rains completely washed away its approaching road on October 8, following which it was shut for three days.

 Though the traffic was opened after laying of a temporary road, there has been only a very thin flow of visitors. The flow of visitors has come down to 150 to 200 a day from 1,500-2,000 last year.

 Even Mysore Palace, the centre of Dasara celebrations, and Mysore Zoo, which used to see numerous visitors, has scripted a different story this time.

 Zoo Authority of Karnataka Chairman M Nanjundaswamy said the zoo and Karanjikere Nature Park had witnessed up to 20-25 per cent drop in the number of visitors.

 Sources in the Tourism Department said a major portion of revenue to tourist spots in and around Mysore used to come during Dasara season, and it was a big loss this year.