Chikkamagaluru to Get State-of-the-Art Planetarium Soon

Chikkamagaluru will soon host a planetarium akin to the Sub-Regional Science Centre in Mangaluru’s Pilikula. Preparations, including project designs, are underway, fulfilling a decade-long demand for the district. The initiative recently received administrative approval from both state and central governments.

Legislator H.D. Thammaiah raised the issue in the legislative assembly, prompting confirmation that funds are allocated, and the tendering process for the observatory’s design has begun. Initially proposed in 2016, the project faced delays due to site selection challenges but is now moving forward on a 9-acre plot near Kendriya Vidyalaya in Ambale village.

The planetarium will feature an 8-meter dome, an outdoor science park, and equipment for sky gazing. A Sub-Regional Science Centre Society, led by the deputy commissioner as president, will oversee land and infrastructure maintenance. The Karnataka Science and Technology Promotion Society (KSTePS) will coordinate with state and central governments, ensuring smooth implementation.

The Rs. 14.6 crore budget includes Rs. 6.65 crore for the science park and Rs. 7.95 crore for the observatory. The project is managed by the Department of Science and Technology in collaboration with the National Council for Science Museums.

Expected to transform the region into an educational hub, the planetarium will provide students with a hands-on opportunity to explore science, especially astronomy, joining Bengaluru and Mangaluru as premier science education destinations.