Massive development projects planned at Sabarimala

Aiming to improve facilties for pilgrims at Sabarimala, massive development projects worth Rs100 crore would be implemented before the next pilgrimage season, additional chief secretary, K Jaykumar said.

Ten projects have been selected which would be taken up on a priority basis once the financial sanction was accorded, Jayakumar told reporters after a meeting of Sabarimala Infrastructure Development fund trust board held at nedumabssery last night.

Sponsors would identified to implement some schemes.

The first priority would be to develop Nilackkal base camp and resting facilities for pilgrims would be provided there, he said. With this facility the crowd proceeding to the Sabarimala sanctum sanctorum could be restricted. More queue complexes would be introduced in the area to reduce the congestion in the queues moving to the Sreekovil for darsan.

The vehicle parking area would be expanded, a check-dam would be constructed to enhance the storage capacity of Water, he said.

Chief patrons of the board former supreme court judge Justice Arijit Pasayath and principal secretary to the Prime Minister TKA Nair, Devaswom Ombudsman Justice Bhaskaran and TDB president Rajagopalan Nair were among those attended the meeting.