The State Government has taken earnest efforts to ensure the ongoing Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage to Sabarimala ``mishap-free, waste-free fleecing-free,’’ said Mr K. Jayakumar, Additional Chief Secretary.
Mr Jayakumar who is also the chief Government co-ordinator at Sabarimala was talking to reporters at the Sannidhanam Devaswom Guest on Thursday.
According to him, the State-sponsored massive cleaning drive aimed at making the pilgrim centre waste-free prior to the beginning of the pilgrim season with the help of the Mata Amritanandamayi Math and various other organisations was a success.
Mr Jayakumar said the health department had made arrangement to provide maximum possible healthcare facility to the pilgrims at Sabarimala as well as various base camps at Nilackal, Pampa, Erumeli and Pandalam.
The department has set up a full-fledged hospital at Nilackal base camp, he said.
He said the Government had prepared a draft security manual and shared it with various departments at Sabarimala for implementing various major recommendations in it during the pilgrim season. The final
security manual would be prepared and enforced in toto from the next pilgrim season.
Mr. Jayakumar said the Government had identified Makarajyoti viewing points at Parunthumpara, Panchalimedu, Attathode, Angamoozhy and Nilackal and Pampa Hilltop, besides Pulmedu and steps would be taken to ensure adequate pilgrim safety at all these places.
He said the newly constructed exit route cum Bailey Bridge, `Sarana Sethu’, queue complex at Sabaripeedhom, development of the Nilackal base camp and maintenance of the Swami Ayyappan Road were the projects undertaken by the High Power Committee for implementing Sabarimala master plan. Though the Sarana Sethu project was completed, the HPC had to cancel the contract for Nilackal base camp development.
The queue complex was nearing completion and the development of the Swami Ayyappan road would be completed once the ongoing pilgrim season ends, he added.
Mr Jayakumar said HPC would invite fresh tenders for implementing various development works at Nilackal in a time-bound manner well before the next pilgrim season itself.
Valiya Nadappanthal
The construction major, Larson and Toubro Limited will be constructing the proposed double-storey Valiya Nadappanthal. L&T has finalised the technical and logistical details so that the work would commenced immediately after the culmination of the pilgrim season in mid-January, he said. GMR Group of companies has agreed to meet the construction cost worth Rs 27 crore.
Appam-Aravana complex
He said the shifting of the Appam-Aravana complex to a location identified near the landing centre of the proposed ropeway project would also be implemented as a turn-key project before the beginning of the next pilgrim season.
Ropeway
Mr Jayakumar said the RITES has conducted a techno—feasibility study on the ropeway project and the HPC is planning to entrust the same organisation with its environment impact assessment too. RITES will be
the technical consultants of the HPC for the proposed ropeway project.
Similarly, HPC would take steps to set up the proposed sewage treatment plant at the Sannidhanam and to augment the STP capacity at Pampa immediately after the ongoing pilgrim season.
Mr Jayakumar said the Tata Sons Limited had agreed to sponsor the augmentation of the Kunnar dam-based water supply project at Sabarimala.
He said the Infra-structure Development Fund for implementing various projects envisaged in the master plan would meet in Hyderabad on February 8 and in Chennai later in the same month itself.
