A high power committee, headed by Finance Secretary K. Shanmugam, has cleared the tourism development of Rock Fort temple and 5 other spots in the city under the Smart City proposals.
The committee that met in Chennai a few days ago accepted the proposal drafted by the Tiruchirappalli Smart City Limited.
This is the first proposal to be taken up since the city was chosen to implement smart city initiatives by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in 2017. A sum of Rs.45.23 crore will be spent for the tourism development plan in the city.
Main Guard Gate, Rock Fort temple, Rock Fort temple tank (Teppakulam), War Memorial, Purathana Park, and Municipal Chathiram are the other tourist spots, which have been selected for providing facelift under the Smart City proposal.
Presiding over a meeting with officials of Tiruchi Corporation and a Chennai based consultancy group on tourism development plan, Corporation Commissioner N. Ravichandran told The Hindu that Rock Fort temple was the most preferred tourist spot in Tiruchi. Construction of rest house for the tourists, creation of two-wheeler and four-wheeler parking facilities, improvement of roads around the temple, provision of flood light and signage were among the proposed works in and around Rock Fort temple. A sum of Rs.11.36 crore would be spent for creating tourist friendly initiative in and around the Rock Fort temple.
He said the Teppakulam, another landmark in the city, would also get a facelift by complete illumination. The long pending demand of tourists and pilgrims of introducing boating facilities would be fulfilled. Besides restructuring the roads around the tank, steps would be made to introduce sound and light show, highlighting the historical background of Tiruchi city and Rock Fort. It would cost Rs.15.20 crore.
Similarly, Mr. Ravichandran said that Rs.8.78 crore would be earmarked, out of Rs.45.23 crore, for creating landscape and children park and theme park at Purathana park. It had been proposed to renovate the Main Guard Gate by providing illumination so as to showcase it as a standalone monument in the city. Provision would be made to provide signage in addition to the protection of the monument.
