Places of tourist interest such as the Mysuru palace, zoo and Chamundi Hills, which were out of bounds for visitors for the past several weeks in view of the measures taken by the government to prevent the spread of COVID-19, will reopen on Monday.
This will coincide with the resumption of dine-in services at restaurants and other eateries in the city.
The famed Mysuru palace, which usually attracts thousands of tourists every day, will be opened after a gap of almost three months. It will be open between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday, and will remain closed on Saturdays, Sundays and other public holidays, said officials.
However, entry to people below the age of 10 and above the age of 65 onto the palace premises is prohibited in view of the government guidelines. All visitors will have to be subjected to thermal scanning to record their temperature, besides being made to clean their hands with sanitizer.
Though visitors will be encouraged to purchase tickets online, the palace authorities will also issue tickets at the venue after spraying disinfectant on the currency. Also, visitors’ luggage will be disinfected before being accepted for safekeeping.
Other attractions
Similarly, Chamundi Hills, to which entry has been prohibited since March 20, will also become accessible from Monday.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Prakash Gowda, who confirmed that the road leading to Chamundi Hills would be reopened from Monday, said a decision was yet to be taken on allowing people to use the steps leading up the hilltop.
Chamundi Hills beckons not only tourists, but also a large number of devotees to the Chamundeshwari Temple that is situated at the summit. Fitness-conscious people also trek up the more than 1,000 steps to the hilltop.
Meanwhile, measures have been taken at the temple to clean the premises ahead of its reopening for darshan from Monday. The management has also painted square boxes at a distance of six feet from one another inside the barricades where devotees generally stand in queue.
According to the chief priest of the temple, Shashidhar Dixit, devotees should wear masks, subject themselves to thermal screening, and clean their hands with sanitizer before entry. They should also maintain social distancing inside the temple.
Citing the Government Order, Mr. Dixit said elderly persons, pregnant women, and children aged below 10 would not be allowed in. Devotees will also not be allowed to carry fruits or prasada. Temple assistant executive officer Govindaraju said people with COVID-19 symptoms would be denied entry. Darshan will be permitted between 7.30 a.m. and 1 p.m. and again between 3.30 p.m. and 5.30 p.m.
Mysuru zoo and Karanji Lake Nature Park will also reopen on Monday.
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