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`Mamallapuram to get major facelift'

By Our Staff Reporter

Mamallapuram Dec. 27. Mamallapuram, an ancient port of the Pallava dynasty, will get a major facelift soon, A. Miller, Minister for Tourism, said here today.

Inaugurating the annual dance festival at the `Arjuna Penance' site, Mr. Miller said the AIADMK Government was taking special efforts to give a major facelift for Mamallapuram and Kanyakumari. The festival began with a dance performance by Bharathanatyam exponent, Chithra Visweswaran.

He said the Department of Tourism of Government of India sanctioned Rs.4.90 crores recently for carrying out developments in Mamallapuram to attract more foreign and domestic tourists. Besides, the State Government had also decided to spend Rs. 4 crores on various development activities in the town.

For the first time, the festival would be held for 20 days till January 15, he said and pointed out that more than 62,000 foreign and nearly seven lakh domestic tourists visited Mamallapuram last year. Competitions in painting, music, quiz and sculpture had also been arranged this year.

Referring to the exorbitant charges collected from the tourists for visiting `five rathas' and `shore temple', the Minister said the rate was fixed by the Archaeological Survey of India.

A.K. Moorthy, Minister of State for Railways, who inaugurated the handicrafts exhibition, said a new computerised railway reservation centre would be opened at Mamallapuram next month.

Mr. Moorthy also announced that the Railways conducted a survey for providing a rail link between Chennai and Mamallapuram and it could be taken up if the State Government approved the project.

V. Somasundaram, Minister for Handlooms and Textiles, presided.

The Social Welfare Minister, P. Valarmathi, lit a kuthuvilakku to mark the inauguration of the festival.

Earlier, K. Rajaraman, Kancheepuram Collector, welcomed the gathering. V. Ramdas, Secretary to Government, Information and Tourism Department, and others spoke.

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