Mysuru: The tourism department has as a Dasara gift introduced aqua sports as a permanent tourism attraction in the city of palaces, Mysuru. Jetskiing, water trampoline, speed boats, banana rides, still water rafting, kayaking, canoeing and peddle boats are among the aqua sports on offer at the city's Varuna lake, which is already an attraction owing to the variety of birds like the spot billed duck, purple swamp hen, painted stork and cattle egret that visit it.
A food court serving appetisers and juices, changing rooms and a locker facility will also be available at the lake, which will be manned by six technical and six ground staff trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid.
The tourism department has entered into a five year contract with Outback Adventures, a private adventure sports company, to run the sports facility at the lake.
It was launched on Friday in the presence of tourism minister, Sa Ra Mahesh, Mysuru district minister, G T Devegowda, Varuna MLA, Dr Yatindra S and Mysuru Deputy Commissioner, Abhiram G Shankar.
The department of tourism and Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation are launching a special flight from Bengaluru to Mysuru from October 10 to 19 at attractive low fares of Rs 999 to bring tourists from abroad and across the country to Mysuru for the Dasara. The KSTDC has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Alliance Air, a subsidiary of Air India, to operate the flight.
Meanwhile, a three- day photo exhibition hosted by the state forest department on the biodiversity and wildlife of Mysuru region was launched at the Suchitra art gallery in Kalamandir in the city in the run-up to the Dasara festivities, here on Friday.
