COIMBATORE: The construction of the proposed 184-foot-tall Lord Muruga Statue on Maruthamalai Hill will commence soon, stated HR&CE Minister PK Sekar Babu on Sunday.
While speaking to media persons after inaugurating a slew of facilities at the at Arulmigu Patteeswara Swamy Temple in Perur on Sunday, the minister said, "The chief minister has given permission to erect the tallest Lord Murugan statue in Asia at the base of the Maruthamalai Temple. The works will start soon. Similarly, the work for establishing a polytechnic college at Vadavalli will commence soon after finding a location."
The facilities opened at the Patteeswara Swamy Temple are an darpana mandapam, annadhana kodam (dining hall) and goshala (cow shelter). A cement road and a toilet for the temple staff were also unveiled.
The darpana mandapam accommodates 50 persons at a time, the minister said.
After the inauguration, the minister inspected the Maruthamalai Temple land to identify a suitable site for the statue.
In all Rs 336 crore contributed by devotees were properly spent for temple purposes and 2,948 temples were renovated in the last four years by the government, he further stated.
Meanwhile, more than 20,000 devotees participated an immersion ceremony at the Arulmiku Mariamman Temple in Thondamuthur in Coimbatore.