To promote tourism, especially to religious places, the state tourism department on Wednesday launched Puneeta Yatra.

The department offers package tours to 21 destinations at 25% subsidy. Though the department has been advertising the tours, the destinations and the new scheme have been on the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) website for more than a month. It was officially launched on Wednesday by chief minister Siddaramaiah and Tourism Minister Priyank Kharge to coincide with World Tourism Day.

Puneeta Yatra covers all religious institutions — mosques, churches, gurudwaras, Jain and Buddhist sites and temples. Of the identified 21, eight are in neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. The fare for the tour per person ranges from Rs 900 to Rs 10,500. Ticket includes travel by KSTDC bus, accommodation, quick Darshan and visit to surrounding places. Tourists will be accompanied by guides. Children below five years of age will not be charged.

Kharge said the tours have been designed based on the demands of people and the footfall. Currently, food is not yet included in the itinerary. Talks with restaurants and hotels are on. He said the programme will be implemented in two phases. In the first phase, night tours will be offered and bookings for this start from September 27. Bookings for the second programme starts from October 15.

A total of 1.32 lakh tourists can make bookings till the end of March. From the next fiscal, tickets for another 1.32 lakh will be offered. The pick-up point for 19 tours is from Bengaluru and for two it is from Kalaburagi. Bookings can be made through the KSTDC website www.kstdc.co or by calling on 080-43344334 or 8970650070.

Tours offered

Ayyappa Swamy and Meenakshi darshan, Shirdi with five Jyothirlinga darshan, Shridi darshan, darshan of Basavannna holy places, Chikka Tirupati and Kaivara darshan, famous mosques of Karnataka, Tirupati-Kalahasthi special, Basadi special, Elumalai and Nanjundeshwara darshan, famous churches of Karnataka, Dattatreya, Chandralamba, Sannati Raghavendra and Savadatti Yellamma darshan, north Karnataka pilgrimage tour, Adichunchangiri, Gokarna and Sirsi Marikamba special, Hoysala and Gomateshwara darshan, Mantralayam darshan, darshan to holy places in Dakshina Kannada, north Karnataka tour, south India’s pilgrimage tour, Gumbaz and Baba Budangiri special, special darshan of Tirupati Balaji and famous temples of south India.

Source: DH