Minister lays stone for Rs 3-crore amenity centre at Vettucaud church
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran laid the foundation stone for the `3-crore pilgrim amenity centre at the historical Madre De Deus Church, Vettucaud here on Thursday. The facility is part of the Pilgrim Circuit, launched to promote pilgrim tourism by connecting various pilgrim centres of different faiths. The amenity centres provide basic facilities for pilgrims visiting places of worship across the state.
In his address, Kadakampally said the government has launched a string of projects in different parts of the state to step up infrastructure facilities for the growth of tourism. “This is for the first time in the state that a government is taking the initiative to set up infrastructure facilities at places of worship. Madre De Deus Church, which reminds us of ancient churches in Rome owing to its architectural features, has historical importance,” the minister said.
The Tourism Department has given importance to the Pilgrim Tourism Circuit and it has conceived various projects to construct basic pilgrim amenities at many religious centres. Similar projects coming up in different parts of Thiruvananthapuram district include those at Aniyoor, construction of auditoriums at Aliyavoor Siva Temple and Sri Durga Temple at Kallampally, Pilgrim Heritage Circuit at Kolathukara, development of destination facilities at Manvila, construction of amenity centres at Beemapally, St Jude Pilgrim Centre at Vettinadu, Kusamuttam Temple, Chellamangalam Temple, Avukkulam Temple and Puthukkunnu CSI Church.