Tenders floated for civil work for Cauvery Arathi, amusement park at Brindavan Garden

Mysuru: Though plans to launch Cauvery Arathi at Brindavan garden by Dasara is still going on, the preparations have begun.

The tender has been floated for civil works to be taken up at the cost of Rs 92.30 Crore for Cauvery Arathi at Brindavan garden below Krishna Raja Sagar dam in Mandya district.

Even as the plans for Cauvery Arathi are almost finalised, tourists to Brindavan are likely to enjoy cultural evenings and Cauvery Arathi at the down streams of boating point for about an hour on Friday, Saturday, Sunday every weekend.

The amount required for the civil works for the project is already approved in the cabinet for DCM D K Shivakumar's dream project. The tender notification for it was issued from May 16 to May 26.

"We are taking up civil works including a platform/stage for Arathi, and also for cultural events which will reflect the cultural ethos and heritage of the State. We are also coming up with three viewers' galleries with the capacity to accomodate about 10,000 people," said Assistant Executive Engineer of Cauvery Neeravari Nigam, Farooq Ahmed Abu.

There are plans to showcase Cauvery Arathi as the event of South India, involving Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry where Cauvery river flows.

Amusement park

Meanwhile the third tender for the amusement park project to upgrade Brindavan at the cost of Rs 2615.96 Crore is also floated and May 30 is the last date to apply for tender.

The amusement park project to upgrade Brindavan at the cost of Rs 2615.96 Crore will have 40 works. They plan to have a laser fountain show, Cauvery promenade, cascade, grand statue, amphi theatre, botanical garden, wax museum, historical museum, castle or view tower, doll museum, water park, techno park, penguin zoo. It will even have attractions like boating lake, jungle boat ride, roller coaster, indoor amusement park sky bridge, river view deck, tree walk, aroma garden, balloon ride, parasailing. They even plan to have an entry plaza, grand arch, internal walkways, entrance toll gate, helipad, upgraded parking area, grand street, meena bazar, food plaza among others.

Once the project takes off, it is likely to be completed in four and half years and the stakeholder will collect revenue and maintain it for 30 years, according to Abu.

Fountains in two Gardens

"Among a total of six terraces, they are also upgrading fountains in two terraces on the Southern part at the cost of Rs 6 Crore," Abu informed.

Facilities

They have already taken up work at the cost of Rs 5 Crore to improve the bus stand at the parking area. They have even taken work at the cost of Rs 5 Crore to upgrade about 30 CCTV cameras, door frame metal detector, install baggage scanner, improve gates and others, according to Abu.

Tanvika P, a tourist said, "Musical fountain, upgraded last year after 20 years at the cost of Rs 2.60 Crore, has been a visual treat every evening between 6.40 pm and 9 pm for 12 minutes to 15 minutes to relax after a trip to Mysuru. With all these projects lined up, Brindavan garden may now emerge into a much more vibrant place with world class standards. I hope the past glory of Brindavan, which my parents reminisce about, comes back with this."

Mysuru Travels Association President, B S Prashanth felt, "Cauvery Arathi would no doubt attract more tourists. But then, it has to be done at a faster pace unlike other projects which are on hold. Amusement park is a great value addition to attract tourists round the year. Also, they have to utilise part of these funds to improve more facilities at the garden, in general. They should moderternise fountain lights which have become old and make them more attractive. They should utilise many latest technologies and offer top notch sound and light shows," he suggested.

Meanwhile farmers leaders are apprehensive about the safety of KRS Dam with these projects.

Brindavan attracted 14,53,711 tourists in 2022-23 and 16,06,665 tourists in 2023-24.