Science circuit may soon power city's tourism growth

Though Bengaluru is home to a sizeable number of premier science institutions, a majority of these are high security zones, disallowing public access.

The Tourism department, however, wants to turn things around. In a bid to harness Bengaluru’s tourism potential to the maximum, it hopes to showcase these institutions on a broader canvas to domestic and international tourists.

Tourism Minister Priyank Kharge told Deccan Herald that the department had envisaged creating a ‘Science Circuit’ as part of the ‘Brand Bengaluru’ concept.

He said that the idea was to link all these institutions under one forum, thereby facilitating public access and interface, to better the tourist’s experience of Bengaluru. Kharge said that the department would work closely with the Science and Technology department to devise an integrated plan.

“Most people would love to get a closer look at how satellites are launched or how an aircraft is manufactured. All emerging technological innovations are happening right here in Bengaluru. We would like to create a space where these innovations and technologies can be showcased together,” he added.

Noting that he had already spoken to the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) chairman, Kharge said that he would shortly hold discussions with other institutions, including the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL). He said work on the much-awaited aerospace museum at Jakkur would be expedited.

Isro enthused
Enthused by the department’s proposal, Isro has decided to create a separate space on its premises to give guided tours to visitors. Isro chairman Kiran Kumar said that though the facility already housed a small segment for public interface, it had decided to throw open the organisation to the public in a bigger way.

“We have been thinking about showcasing our activities and mechanisms in a better way for some time now. When the tourism minister proposed the concept, we decided to go ahead with it. We want to create a space where visitors can take a walk through the whole space and learn how satellites are built using 3D technology and animation,” he said, adding that visitors will not be allowed inside the labs. The government, however, has to address the security issues, he added.

Welcoming the proposal, Chairman and Managing Director of HAL T Suvarna Raju said HAL already had an aerospace museum and heritage centre, which was a tourist landmark in the city.

“The concept of science circuit seems good. HAL has been preserving the rich science heritage of the city with focus on aerospace and aviation in a way the common man can understand and enjoy. A few months ago, HAL upgraded the museum as part of the institution’s platinum jubilee celebrations.”
DH News Service

Which are the institutes?
Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Indian Institute of Astrophysics.