Mysuru: The View Points atop city’s landmark Chamundi Hill, especially the one at the junction of the roads leading to the iconic Nandi statue and the Temple where a high-definition binocular has been set up, is getting good response from tourists and devotees. The demand is especially for night viewing of the city’s stunning heritage structures.

From Sept. 21, the day the binocular viewing was thrown open to public, over 7,951 people have viewed the city till yesterday. And with the Department of Tourism planning to install one more binocular at another View Point, there might be many takers for this facility.

The District Administration has constructed special protruding platforms at the two View Points on the way to the Hill and has installed a high-definition binocular for viewers to admire the city. While one View Point has been set up at the junction between Nandi Statue Road and the Chamundi Hill Road, the other View Point has been set up near the WELCOME sign on the same stretch.

Rupees twenty is being charged for viewing the city through the binocular where a coin is given to the viewer once he pays the money. Once the coin is inserted, the binocular screen opens from where the viewer can see the city for two minutes. After the prescribed time, the screen closes.

Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, Manjunath, Managing Director of Nirmithi Kendra who undertook the View Point works, said that the demand is for night viewing of the illuminated city.

The Tourism Department had earlier proposed to end the binocular viewing by about 5 pm later extended the viewing timings to about 9 pm.

The Hill viewing begins at around 7.30 am with two people manning the operation. In all, there are four people who work from 7.30 am till about 9 pm. The maintenance of the binocular has been outsourced by the Muzrai Department that manages Chamundi Hill Temple.

More than the regular days, weekends and holidays are attracting more viewers. As of now, there is no shelter for the people who operate the binocular and an estimate will soon be sent to the District Administration to provide the same, Manjunath said.

DC D. Randeep said that one more binocular will be installed at the other viewpoint soon.