The State government will take necessary steps to ensure service of the policemen as well as the Fire and Rescue Services personnel at Sabarimala throughout the year, Devaswom Minister V.S. Sivakumar has said.
Mr Sivakumar told reporters at Sabarimala here on Saturday that he would discuss the matter with Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala.
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The Minister said development projects worth Rs.30 crore were fast progressing at Sabarimala, Pampa, and Nilackal under the aegis of the High Power Committee for implementation of the Sabarimala Master Plan so that all of them could be commissioned well before the beginning of the ensuing Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrim season that begins in mid-November. The work on the Rs.25-crore ropeway project that is aimed at transportation of goods between Pampa and Sannidhanam would begin this year itself.
A toilet complex will be constructed at Malikappuram at an estimated cost of Rs.2.5 crore, he said.
Mr Sivakumar said that six queue complexes, estimated at a total of Rs.11.5 crore, would be completed on the Saramkuthi path well before the beginning of the forthcoming pilgrim season.
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Of these, three complexes have already been completed and work on two others has begun, he said.
Hospital complex
The Minister said that work on the proposed Rs.5-crore government hospital complex at the Sannidhanam would begin in August and the government had already sanctioned the fund required for the same.
He said two giant water tanks would be constructed at Sannidhanam at a cost of Rs.3.40 crore.
More plans
A new Annadana Mandapam (Rs.3.78 crore), devaswom godown (Rs.1.45 crore), and two septic tanks (Rs.1.80 crore) will also be constructed at Pampa, he said.
Mr Sivakumar said a Rs.3-crore mechanised Aravana packing unit would be installed at Sabarimala through sponsorship. A detailed project report on the proposed two-storey Valiya Nadappanthal too was ready, he said.