SABARIMALA: The still unfinished tendering process for this year’s Sabarimala pilgrimage season, beginning on November 17, is expected to impact Travancore Devaswom Board’s revenue and pilgrims through denial of ‘vazhipadu’ offerings.
Of the total tenders worth Rs 38 crore for over 213 items, barely 81 with revenue earnings of about Rs 10 crore have been awarded in the auctioning process which started three months ago, devaswom sources said.
With the tendering process, including auctioning, ending on Monday, the remaining Rs 28-crore worth of contracts for 132 items will come up for auctioning, they said. The continuing uncertainty over the restrictions imposed on pilgrims and the ensuing drop in pilgrim arrivals coupled with the unattractive rates quoted by the devaswom authorities on each items, including hotels, coconuts, shops and ‘vazhipadu’ offerings like 'pushpabhishekam' have kept away would-be bidders, sources said.
Following the lukewarm response from bidders, devaswom authorities effected a 15 per cent slash in the tender’s base value quoted last week, they said.“The successful completion of tendering proceedings for the remaining 132 items hinges on the TDB authorities willingness to further lower the tender’s base value,” according to sources.
Hoteliers wary
The new condition set by the TDB authorities, including the payment of the entire tender amount during the signing of the agreement, is a major reason that drives away those keen on running hotels at Sannidhanam, according to Rajesh Pillai, a leading hotel contractor, who has been in the business for the last one decade.
“Quoting higher amount in the contract, payment of full amount in the contract at time of signing the agreement and the uncertainty over pilgrim arrivals are the other factors that keep away prospective bidders,” Pillai said.