COIMBATORE: HR&CE Minister PK Sekarbabu inspected Anuvavi Subramaniyaswamy temple on Sunday after Industrial and Technical Consultancy Organisation of Tamil Nadu (ITCOT) suggested a rope car facility there.
The minister, along with Coimbatore collector Kranthi Kumar Pati, HR&CE joint director P Ramesh, inspected the area to chalk out a plan for setting up the facility.
Speaking to reporters, the minister said “ITCOT has estimated that Rs 13 crore would be needed for the rope car facility at a height of 420 m. We will commence work once the report is ready. I have directed officials to build toilets and provide drinking water facilities for devotees along with rope car facility.”
He further said steps have been taken to set up rope car facility at Tirukkalukkunram, Thiruneermalai, Idumban Malai and instructions have been given to complete similar works in Karur Ayyanmalai Thirukovil and Sholingar Narasimma Perumal Temple at the earliest. The minister also said the department is planning to set up lift facility at Swamimalai at a cost of Rs 3.60 crore.
The minister said that in the last two and half years, soon after the DMK came to power, HR&CE department has taken steps to conduct Kumbhabisekham for as many as 922 temples, which is a history.
“Likewise, a total of 5,335 acres of land belongs to the temples worth `5,135 crore have been retrieved,” he added.