Sabarimala:
Two major Sabarimala infrastructure development projects, the two-storeyed Valiyanadapandal and the prasadam manufacturing-cum distribution complex at Sannidhanam, will be implemented immediately after the ongoing Mandalam-Makaravilakku season.
Additional Chief Secretary and chairman of the high-powered Sabarimala Infrastructure Development K Jayakumar said that the Rs 23-crore Valiyanadapandal, to be built by country's engineering giant Larsen and Toubro, would be implemented with the financial assistance of sponsors.
The two-storyed Valiayanadapandal, when completed would have a capacity to provide resting place for 30,000 pilgrims at a time, Jayakumar said. Jayakumar said that the multi-storeyed new prasadam manufacturing-cum-distribution complex would be the other major project to be implemented after the ongoing season. The global tender for the Rs 15-crore new prasadam complex would be invited in the third week of this month, he said.
Jayakumar said that the schemes under the Nilackal satellite townships would be implemented without disturbing the ecology and landscape of the area.
Hence, the high-power committee would take up projects which will maintain ecological balance. The development of parking areas for pilgrims from five states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Pondichery and Kerala, would be given priority and the work on this would be taken immediately after the season. Jayakumar said that the high-powered committee would hold talks with the Forest Department to sort put out the irritants in connection with the augmentation of the storage capacity of Kunnar dam.