The Sri Jambukeswarar Akilandeswari Temple and its surrounding areas at Thiruvanaikovil in the city would get a facelift soon under a tourism development project.
Chief Minister Jayalalithaa laid the foundation stone for the project, among others, at a government function in Srirangam on Thursday. The project has been sanctioned at a cost of Rs.3.58 crore.
The temple is one of the ‘panchabootha sthalam’ and is visited throughout the year by tourists and devotees.
A proposal for implementing the project was forwarded to the State Tourism Department some months back and the project has been sanctioned now after some pruning.
According to sources, the project would involve improvements to the temple and its surrounding areas, landscaping, improvement of inner streets (‘ul veedhis) and lighting arrangements around the temple.
Construction of a rest-shed at the temple, developing the temple tank and its beautification, and renovation of the 1000-pillar mandapam and construction of public toilets inside and outside the temple complex would form important components of the project. A substantial portion of the project fund would be spent on improving the roads on the south and north inner streets; provision of lighting arrangements around the Sannidhi street, inner streets, and the link roads, and pavements along the north, west, and south inner roads at Thiruvanaikovil.
