The development model in Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam will be emulated in Sabarimala without incurring any environmental damage, Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran has said.
Mr. Surendran told reporters here on Tuesday that an expert panel from the State as directed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan would visit Tirupati to study the facilities for pilgrims and other arrangements at the temple there.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had offered to cooperate with the State government in this regard. Being a temple in the midst of the forest, development projects would be taken up without causing any damage to the environment. The government was planning to demolish the unscientific structures in Sabarimala, he said.
The government and the Travancore Devaswom Board were constantly in consultation for improving the facilities for pilgrims.
A coordinated effort of the new board, the government and its departments helped to organise the festivals without giving room for any complaints.
He said that the BJP had campaigned in the southern States against making contributions in Sabarimala saying that the government and the CPI(M) would appropriate the temple funds. But the festival collection had increased from ₹210 crore in the previous year (2016-17) to ₹255 crore, marking an increase of ₹45 crore.
Master Plan
The government had spent ₹38 crore for improving the facilities in Sabarimala. Development projects under the Sabarimala Master Plan would be completed in a timebound manner, he said.