Travel operators seek one-month tax waiver for out-of-State tourist vehicles during Mysuru Dasara

The Karnataka State Travel Operators’ Association has urged the State government to grant a one-month exemption from entry tax, road tax and special permit fees for tourist vehicles from neighbouring States entering Karnataka during the Mysuru Dasara festival season.

In a representation to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh and the Transport Commissioner, the association requested that tourist transport vehicles arriving from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Goa and Maharashtra be exempted from the applicable taxes and permit fees during the festival period.

Radhakrishna Holla, president of the Karnataka State Travel Operators’ Association, said that the government has provided similar tax exemptions for tourist vehicles from other States travelling to Mysuru during Dasara in recent years. “The government has, for the last few years, announced that tourist vehicles from other States heading to Mysuru during the Dasara festival are exempt from paying permit tax. We are urging the government to continue the exemption this year as well and announce it at the earliest,” Mr. Holla said.

According to the association, the measure would make travel to Karnataka more convenient for tourists and benefit the tourism, transport, hospitality and local business sectors during the festival season.

Dasara, which begins in October, is among Karnataka’s most prominent annual festivals and attracts large number of visitors to Mysuru. In previous years, the government has waived taxes for tourist vehicles entering Mysuru city and nearby Srirangapatna taluk during the festival.

Mr. Holla said that the tourist vehicles registered outside Karnataka and operating under special permits are generally eligible for the exemption when such a waiver is announced.

Srirangapatna, located near Mysuru, is also a major tourist destination, with attractions including Brindavan Gardens and the Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) reservoir. These locations are expected to witness increased tourist footfall during the Dasara period.