A ₹50 crore detailed project report (DPR) for the development of Chamundi Hills under the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) entailing additional facilities and beautification, will be submitted to the Ministry of Tourism soon.
This was decided at a review meeting held here on Friday by district in-charge G.T. Deve Gowda in the presence of Minister for Tourism S.R. Mahesh and Pratap Simha, MP.
The project envisages archways at the entrance inspired by the design of the Jayamarthanda Gate in front of the palace, beautification of the area around the Nandi statue, signage along steps and roads, provision of drinking water kiosks, benches along steps, installation of CCTV cameras, and adopting of Information Technology.
The area for development has been divided into four zones. The Hill Area will have the entrance archway apart from signage and resting areas. The temple precinct has been categorized as Zone 2 as per which emphasis will be on temple illumination, provision of electric buggies, beautification of the Mahishasura statue and the Circle, introduction of sound and light, and WiFi hotspots, among others.
Under Zone 3, it has been proposed to have an interpretation centre, facility for smart-ticketing to streamline and manage crowd movement, distribution of prasada, installation of solar lighting, construction of a solid waste management facility, etc.
Zone 4 will comprise Devikere and will entail beautification of the tank, providing access steps, a musical fountain, walkway and aerators.
While a major entrance archway will be constructed at the starting point of the hill road, there will be similar structures at nodes and junctions along the route, besides minor entrance archways at the beginning and end of the steps. The entrance to the steps will have vegetation and greenery while the pathway will be 3 m wide with railings on either side. In addition, there will be shelters, seating arrangements and drinking water kiosks every 200 m along the route.
Mr. Gowda said a 20 acre plot at the foothills will be utilised to create a museum, a parking lot and to provide other facilities for the tourists.
The total cost of the project has been pegged at ₹49.95 crore and the proposal will be finalised and submitted to the Centre in the next two days. It is expected to be approved in the meeting on February 28, Mr. Simha said. He said this is the only pilgrimage site approved for development under PRASAD in Karnataka. It is a ₹100 crore intervention of which ₹50 crore has been approved for implementation in the first phase, he added.
