Hike in entry fee, parking, toll at Brindavan Garden sparks debate

Mysuru:  Even as a slew of works are in the pipeline to revamp the Brindavan Gardens below the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) reservoir in Mandya district to world-class standards, entry fee, parking fee and toll on the bridge have almost been doubled. This has left tourists and tourism stakeholders wondering. 

The entry fee has been increased from Rs 50 to Rs 100 for adults and from Rs 10 to Rs 50 for children (3 to 6 years). Parking fee has been increased from Rs 50 to Rs 100 for cars; Rs 70 to Rs 100 for minibus; Rs 100 to Rs 200 for bus; Rs 10 to Rs 20 for two-wheelers; Rs 20 to Rs 50 for three-wheelers.

As part of the new arrangements, the tender holder is expected to operate at least three electric buggies—each with 9 to 14 seats—for physically challenged individuals, senior citizens, and children.

The fare will be capped at Rs 100 per head. Parking fees will be collected from 8 am until 45 minutes after the musical fountain show concludes at 9 pm.

Toll rates on the bridge downstream of the KRS Dam have also been revised. The new fees are Rs 50 for three-wheelers (up from Rs 20), Rs 100 for four-wheelers (Rs 50), Rs 100 for minibuses (Rs 70), Rs 200 for buses (Rs 100), Rs 200 for lorries/six-wheelers (Rs 150), and Rs 300 for ten-wheeled heavy vehicles (Rs 200). An automated FASTag-linked toll collection system is expected to be operational within three months.

Assistant Executive Engineer of Cauvery Neeravari Nigam (CNN), Farooq Ahmed Abu, said, “The tariffs were last revised in 2019. The hike was proposed and approved in a recent CNN board meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Although it was scheduled for implementation on May 1, the hike is currently on hold.”

Superintendent Engineer Raghuram added that, until now, CNN staff handled entry ticket collections.

"A private contractor has been finalised for the job. The fee hike will come into effect once the agreement process is completed.”

However, tourism stakeholders have strongly opposed the fee hikes.

“We will fight this decision. The toll for the bridge is higher than what’s collected for the entire Bengaluru–Mysuru Expressway stretch,” said B S Prashanth, president of Mysuru Travels Association.

“Authorities should improve basic facilities like restrooms and security at the parking area first,” he said. 

M Ravi, former vice-president of the Karnataka Tourism Forum, echoed similar concerns.

"The government must focus on providing clean toilets, proper lighting, cemented parking bays, and deploy Tourism Police ‘Mithras’. Karnataka’s tourism sector remains neglected despite its economic significance,” he said.

Authorities point to massive investment in ongoing revamp projects. The musical fountain was upgraded last year at a cost of Rs 2.60 crore. Civil works for the Cauvery Arathi project are in progress at Rs 92.30 crore. An amusement park and other enhancements at Brindavan Gardens are being developed at a cost of Rs 2,615.96 crore. Additional infrastructure upgrades include Rs 5 crore for the bus stand, another Rs 5 crore for installing CCTV cameras, baggage scanners, and metal detectors, and Rs 10 crore to refurbish fountains on two of the six terrace gardens, Abu said.

Despite the government’s justification, many tourists remain unconvinced.

“The overall travel cost—fuel, toll, parking, entry fees, resort charges—is becoming unaffordable for the middle class,” said K Apoorva, a visitor. “They should complete the projects first and then raise the tariffs.”

Brindavan Gardens attracted 14.5 lakh visitors in 2022–23 and over 16 lakh in 2023–24, according to official data.