Facelift for Chamundi Hills inches closer to reality under PRASHAD scheme

Chamundi Hills development under PRASHAD scheme progresses with State and Centre funding, enhancing amenities for tourists and devotees.

After years of back and forth between the Karnataka government and the Centre, there is finally some progress on the development of Chamundi Hills under the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) scheme of the Central government. The Department of Tourism has called a tender for the development of public amenities there.

Chamundi Hills in Mysuru is one of the sites in Karnataka that has been considered for development under the scheme which aims to provide sustainable religious tourism, along with the Sri Renuka Yellamma temple in Saundatti in Belagavi and the Paapnaash Shiv Temple in Bidar. The scheme looks to meet the needs of devotees as well as tourists, and build amenities that would encourage both the groups to visit the site more often.

Among the things that have been proposed for the Chamundi Hills project are drinking water and toilet facilities, a queue mandapa around the temple premises to ensure regular and unhindered pilgrim flow, stone columns along the stretch, redesigned steps of the hill, a multi-purpose hall, footwear stands, a fountain the around Mahishasura circle, a police booth, etc.

While a tender was first called a few months ago, the estimated cost of development came up to ₹108 crore, which is ₹60 crore more than the Central government’s allocation for the project.

“We sent the proposal back to the Central government for the release of the additional amount, but they did not agree to do it. We then requested the State government to provide the extra funds and received their approval. Now, the Centre will give ₹48 crore for the project, while the State will give ₹60 crore,” explained Salma Fahim, Principal Secretary, Tourism Department. She added, “We hope that this time we can award the tender and the work can finally begin.”

There had been a considerable delay in the release of funds from the Centre for the Chamundi Hills project which led to tensions during the South India Tourism Conclave held in September 2024 in Bengaluru. H.K. Patil, Minister of Tourism, Law and Parliamentary Affairs, had said that “it was a matter of embarrassment.” The Union Minister had then retorted saying that there was some work pending on the State’s part.

Apart from the PRASHAD scheme, Chamundi Hills has also been included in the Centre’s Swadesh Darshan 2.0., with an allocated cost of ₹23 crore. This will include a Tonga Ride Heritage Experience Zone and an Ecological Experience Zone.