Mysore/Mysuru: As the State gears up for the first phase of Lok Sabha (LS) elections on Apr. 26 (Friday), Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens (Mysuru Zoo) and Karanji Lake Nature Park in city will be closed.

To bolster urban voter turnout, it’s noted that historically, many urban residents opt for short vacations coinciding with polling days, typically weekends. Closing tourist attractions aims to encourage citizens to prioritise their civic duty on election day.

However, both the Zoo and Karanji Lake Nature Park open on April 30 (Tuesday, a weekly holiday), welcoming tourists and visitors during the summer holidays, as stated in a press release by the Zoo Executive Director.

Meanwhile, authorities responsible for overseeing tourist destinations like Mysore Palace, Brindavan Gardens at the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Dam, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary and similar sites are still in the process of finalising closure plans. Updates on this matter are anticipated later today.

Officials managing these tourist spots, including Mysore Palace and the KRS Dam, have indicated that no decision regarding closure has been made as of now. They stated that any decision on closure or remaining open will be made following consultations with district authorities and officers.