A newly built approach road to the Subramanya Swami Temple situated atop Viralimalai hillock in Pudukottai district was declared open on Thursday.
Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar inaugurated the ghat road on the day when maha kumbabishekam of the temple was also performed after renovations in the presence of H.M.Jayaram, Inspector General of Police, Central Zone, P. Uma Maheswari, Collector, L. Balaji Saravanan, Superintendent of Police, and other officials.
The State Highways Department (Construction and Maintenance) of Pudukottai division had executed the project at a cost of ₹3.8 crore with funds provided by the Tourism, Culture and Religious Endowments Department.
The road runs a length of 360 metres around the hillock from the base to the top. It has a width of seven metres. The two-lane ghat road has been provided with paved shoulder to a width of one metre on either side. A parking lot has also been created atop the hillock.
The project includes two passenger lifts from the parking lot to the shrine. Thirteen persons can ride the lift at a time, Mr.Vijayabaskar said and appealed to the devotees to utilise the new facilities well.
The temple with 407 steps is located at an altitude of about 110 feet from ground level. Many devotees, especially the aged, found it difficult to reach the temple and with the construction of the new ghat road, they can drive up the hillock.
Earlier, a large number of devotees witnessed the the maha kumbabishekam of the temple.
