Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday gave a major fillip to infrastructure facilities at tourism spots across Tamil Nadu at a cost of Rs 27.6 crore.
The Chief Minister said Rs 10 crore would be spent on providing basic amenities like toilets, lodging, drinking water, dining hall, cloak rooms, approach roads etc, in the tourist spots. The tourism destinations identified were Karaivetti bird sanctuary in Ariyalur district, Kallar in Coimbatore, Sanarpatti-Sengurichi in Dindigul district, Vadachennimalai temple in Salem district, Idaikaattur church in Sivaganga district, Eriyur Marundeeswarar temple in Tirupathur, Pariya Marundeeswarar temple, Thavalagireeswarar temple in Tiruvannamalai district, Thirukollikadu Saneeswarar temple, Avur Pasupatheeswarar and Panchabhairavar temples, Pottalpudhur Mohideen dargah, Komugi dam, Koothandavar temple, Oriyur, Uthirakosamangai and Nayinarkovil. Infrastructure facilities would be upgraded in Periapalayam Bhavani Amman temple, Siruvapuri Murugan temple, Kumbakarai dam, Andhiyur Varattupallam, Tiruchengode Ardhanariswarar temple, Virinjipuram Sivan temple, Dharapuram Anjaneyar temple and Tiruchy Pulianjolai.
The Chief Minister also sanctioned Rs.4.56 crore for setting up a train park, fencing, boating facility, constructing bathrooms and laying circular road at Anna Poonga at Jedarpalayam in Namakkal district. As the first instalment, the Chief Minister has released Rs.3.64 crore.
Further, the Chief Minister allocated Rs.3.10 crore for establishing infrastructural facilities at the famous tourist spot Mukkombu in Srirangam taluk in Tiruchy district. Parks would be beautified and water sports would be introduced using the funds.
She also directed the Highways Department to upgrade the roads connecting tourist spots at a cost of Rs.10 crore. Under this, the roads connecting various temples, dargahs and churches would be improved. The ones identified are Malaikolundeeswarar temple in Sivaganga district, Piranmalai, Eriyur Malai Marundeeswarar temple’s Girivalam road, Perichchikoil church, Thiruvakkarai-Chemmedu Road, Thillayadi Railway Road, Maharajapuram-Azhagapuram Road in Virudhunagar district, Chenganthi Sethiakurichi road in Tiruvarur and Melavayalur Murugan Koil Road among other places.