SABARIMALA:The High-Powered Committee on Sabarimala Infrastructure Development, headed by former Chief Secretary K Jayakumar, on Saturday decided to set up the new aravana prasadam complex at Sannidhanam after relocating the ‘Vella Nivedyam” building at Lower Thirumuttom.
The high-powered committee took the decision on the advise of vasthuvidya expert Kanippayyur Krishnan Namboodiripad.
The Rs 3-crore machinery for the new plant, sponsored by NRI Ravi Pillai, will reach Kochi port in a fortnight from Italy. The plant, to be operational before the beginning of the next pilgrimage season, will supplement the existing plant at Sannidhanam. The meeting decided to widen the Sopanam premises on three sides of the Sreekovil on a par with the eastern side of the temple up to Holy Steps, which is equivalent to 21 metres, for ensuring additional space for the pilgrims. They also also reviewed new projects, worth Rs 25 crore, under various stages of implementation for improving the basic facilities. The meeting gave a directive to complete the civil work by August-end and trial run in September, so that the plant could be fully operational well ahead of the next pilgrimage season in November.
The projects which came under review include the Sannidhanam sewage treatment plant, two water storage tanks of 20 lakh litres capacity at Pandithavalam, Nadapandal at Malikappuram Devi temple, seven queue complexes on the trekking path between Marakottam and Saramkuthi, and toilet complex at Malikappuram. The meeting held at Pampa, directed to complete the projects like Annadana Mandapam, restaurant complex, the ground floor of the three-storey store building complex, sewage collection tank and a third toilet complex.
At Nilackal, projects like terminal, parking area, internal roads with entry and exit also came under review. Travancore Devaswom Board members Subhash Vasu and P K Kumaran, Devaswom commissioner and member secretary of the committee C P Ramaraja Prema Prasad, Devaswom chief engineer Muralikrishnan, vasthuvidya expert Kanippayyur Krishnan Namboodiripad and architect Mahesh were among those participated at the meeting.