THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The renovation works at the Sree Padmanabhaswami temple here are progressing fast after the hiatus on account of the annual Painguni festival. While the works inside the temple complex are carried out using own funds, those on the outside, including beautification of the surroundings and setting up of pilgrim amenities, are executed under the Centre’s Swadesh Darshan scheme. Temple Executive Officer V Ratheesan said the work on the multi-purpose ducts around the temple are in the final stage. “The KSEB and other agencies which will use the duct are laying their cables and pipes in the duct. Afterwards, the ducts will be covered with concrete slabs,” he said.
According to the authorities, the roads in front of the north and south gate are in a run- down condition owing to the works and retarring of the stretch will be carried out as soon as the duct works are completed.
Besides the KSEB, the 3.5 km-long ducts will be utilised by different agencies including the BSNL and the KWA. Granite-laid footpaths will be set up over the ducts. The restoration of the idol of Lord Sree Padmanabhaswami, renovation of the sanctum sanctorums of Padmamabhaswami and Lord Narasimha and installation of a new flag mast at the Thiruvambadi Lord Krishna shrine are the major works remaining inside the temple complex.
The conservation committee appointed by the Supreme Court, including Vastu expert Kanippayyur Krishnan Namboodiripad, is overseeing the works. For the idol restoration, a team of experts headed by Vezhaparambu Brahmadathan Namboodiripad has been mooted.Ratheesan said the scaffolding work for the renovation of the main sanctum sanctorum is almost complete. “Its renovation will take at least a year. The roofing has to be dismantled and the new one will be mock-assembled on the ground before mounting it,” he said.
The wood works of the roofing have also begun. The restoration of the idol will be undertaken after the new roofing is placed. The giant teakwood to be set up as flag mast has been kept for drying. It will then be immersed in ‘ennathoni’- a gigantic canoe- shaped vat filled with sesame oil. The new flag mast will also take a year. The maintenance work of the east and south gopurams is over.