Tiruchi Corporation has decided to set up a parking lot for tourist vehicles on the Panchakarai Road on the banks of the Kollidam river near Yatri Nivas at Srirangam here.
It will come on about six acres of land owned by Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple. A portion of the vacant site, situated opposite Yatri Nivas, is already being used by devotees, who travel by buses to Yatri Nivas.
According to the Corporation, which finds it difficult to identify a suitable place to create a parking lot for tourist vehicles due to the absence of a formidable site owned by it at Srirangam, the proposed site opposite Yatri Nivas is the best one to accommodate all vehicles that come to Srirangam from different parts of the State and its neighbours.
Minister for Municipal Administration K.N. Nehru, Collector M. Pradeep Kumar, Mayor M. Corporation Commissioner R. Vaithinathan and senior officials inspected the proposed site a few days ago so as to formalise a plan to set up the parking lot.
Mr. Anbazhagan told The Hindu that Yatri Nivas was constructed on the land owned by the Tiruchi Corporation. During the site transfer, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) committed to transferring a similar land in lieu of the Corporation land if required for any developmental purpose. Based on it, the Corporation would soon send official communication to HR&CE, seeking the transfer of land owned by Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple to establish a parking facility.
“We are confident in getting the land as it is basically to be used for parking the vehicles of tourists who come to Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple,” Mr. Anbazhagan said.
He said that the facility would have no roof. It would be an open parking lot with a concrete floor. All other facilities, including toilets and bathrooms for the drivers and tourists and shops, would be established. A retaining wall would be constructed along the banks of the Kollidam river, besides increasing the height of the site by filling gravel.
