JOIN USShimoga-C'magalur to form tourist circuit
Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, who chaired a meeting with Tourism Department officials at Kemmannugundi hill station in Chikmagalur district on Wednesday told media persons that amenities of international standards will be provided for tourists in Jog and Kemmannugundi. He said Jog will be developed on the lines of Niagara Falls and a ropeway with a trolley will be constructed to enable the tourists to have close view of the falls.
Boats would be arranged at the valley and lighting facilities to enjoy the falls during night will be provided. Yeddyurappa said he will stay in Jog shortly to discuss the development proposals. Infrastructure upgradation projects are already being implemented by Jog Management Authority.
The PPP model will be adopted to provide facilities of international standards for the tourists, he added.
He said the roads to link Kemmannugundi hill station will be concretised and accommodation facility of good standards will be provided for tourists here. Development works in Kemmannugundi will commence after monsoon. He said that the hill station will be developed into a all-season tourist centre in a year. The basic idea here is to ensure that tourists who visit Jog should also visit Kemmannugundi and vice versa. Places like Amruthapura, Kalhathigiri located near Kemmannugundi, and Kodachadri which are close to Jog will also be developed, he added. Roads that connect Kalhathigiri will also be concretised and accommodation facilities will be provided for tourists here. A garden on the model of Brindavan will be developed downstream Bhadra and Tunga reservoirs in Shimoga district, he added.
Malnad region is dotted with spots of tourist interest. Sahyadri Heritage Authority, regarding which announcement was made in the budget will be activated soon and eco-tourism will be promoted in Shimoga, Chikmagalur and Uttara Kannada districts under the Authority, he said.
The State Government is planning to promote tourism in hill stations like Kemmannugundi, Nandi hill and Kodachadri in a big way. He said he will stay in Nandi hill in the first week of August and hold a meeting on developing the spot. According to sources, the meeting was organised at the eleventh hour and Tourism Minister Janaradhana Reddy was not present. However, some senior officials of the department attended the meeting.