A crucial meeting of the Sabarimala Master Plan Infrastructure Development Trust held in Kochi on Sunday has decided to mobilise fund for executing certain major development projects at Sabarimala in a time-bound fashion, said Mr. K. Jayakumar, Additional Chief Secretary and chairman of the High Power Committee for implementation of Sabarimala Master plan.
Talking to The Hindu here on Monday, Mr. Jayakumar said this was decided at the Trust meeting jointly presided by its patrons, Arijit Pasayat, former Supreme Court Judge, and T.K.A. Nair, Advisor to Prime Minister.
Besides Mr. Jayakumar, Mr. M.Rajagopalan Nair, Travancore Devaswom Board President, Mr. R. Bhaskaran, Devaswom Ombudsman, Mr. S. Jagadeesh, Sabarimala Special Commissioner, Mr. N. Vasu, Devaswom Commissioner, Mr. K. Ravikumar, TDB Chief Engineer, Mr. G.M. Rao, chairman of GMR Group of Industries, Mr. P.N.C. Menon of Sobha Developers Limited and Mr. P. Raja Mohana Rao of United Telecom Limited, attended the Trust meeting.
The meeting has resolved to execute the two-tier Valiya Nadappanthal project and the modern Aravana plant project at Sabarimala Sannidhanam as soon as the forthcoming pilgrimage season ends in January, 2012.
According to Mr. Jayakumar, it requires not less than Rs. 50 crore immediately for executing the two projects as well as certain other schemes associated with it.
Development fund
The meeting has decided to launch an infrastructure fund to mobilise not less than Rs. 150 crore for implementing various projects prescribed in the Sabarimala master plan on a priority basis.
Construction major Larsen and Toubro Limited will be constructing the proposed Valiya Nadappanthal at an estimated cost of Rs. 26 crores as per the design prepared by the Chennai-based Pithavadian and Partners.
Aravana plant
The meeting has also decided to invite tenders for executing the proposed Aravana plant as a turn-key project soon.
Setting up a well-designed base camp with a future perspective of 50 years at Nilackal is another major project to be implemented in 2012 itself, he said.
Mr. Jayakumar said the infrastructure development fund would be floated in the neighbouring States of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh too during the forthcoming pilgrimage season itself. The Trust would also explore the possibility of floating the fund in Malaysia from where the HPC has been receiving a lot of queries and in the Gulf countries, he added.
CM to hold meeting of AP, TN, Karnataka Devaswom Ministers
Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy will convene a meeting of Devaswom Ministers in the neighbouring States of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh in Kottayam on October 23, seeking their co-operation and support in the State Government's efforts for the smooth conduct of the annual pilgrimage season that begins on November 17.
Mr. Jayakumar said the proposal to provide space to the neighbouring States for construction of their own pilgrim facilitation centres at Nilackal base camp would also be discussed at the meeting.
He said the State would seek support and co-operation of the neighbouring States in its efforts to execute various development projects prescribed in the Sabarimala Master plan in a time-bound manner.
