Mad rush to finish Padmanabha temple work before PM visit

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The work as part of the Swadesh Darshan Scheme at Sree Padmanabhaswami temple is being conducted with undue haste, raising serious concerns over the quality of work.   

The work was expedited to facilitate Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the new facilities on January 15, the day when he would visit the state to dedicate the Kollam bypass to the nation.

A review meeting chaired by Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran in January had set March 31 as the deadline for completing the work. Initially, the state government had objected to the preponement of the deadline only to succumb to the Centre’s pressure later. Kadakampally told Express he expects the work would be over before the inaugural function. “I’ve been told that work would be over by January 10. Some minor works left will be completed by January 20,” he said.

“We had raised apprehensions when the PMO asked to arrange for the inaugural in January first week. But we agreed to the revised date of January 15,” he said. A few weeks ago, the temple management asked the different government agencies entrusted with the project implementation to complete the work on a war footing. Even if the work progress in the current pace, only about 80 per cent of the work would be over by January 15.  The agencies which work round the clock to finish the work have to move out at least two days before the PM’s visit for security reasons.

As on Wednesday, only about 40 pc of the work of the toilet complex near the North Nada was completed. The plumbing works have just begun. Plastering and tile laying work can be conducted only after this.
Walls of the adjacent cafeteria are being built. Tile laying and kitchen work will be started later. Work of the waiting oom in the Ulsavamadom building are in the initial stage. Tile laying and electrification works have not begun.

The handicraft and handloom emporium in the Ulsavamadom building still remain on paper. Another nonstarter is the wayside amenity centre proposed at Killipalam.

Tarring works have not been done on the road in front of the East Nada, Ramachandra Road, Ramaswami Kovil Road in front of the Fort School, Rajadhani Road and the stretch on the West Nada. The KSEB is yet to complete the laying of underground cables. “Works on all the gates can be started only after the ornamental streetlights are set up by the agency concerned. The roadside electric poles have to be removed thereupon” said an official.