The Kerala Tourism has worked out a pilgrim tourist circuit linking four places of worship in the capital. A total of ₹8.38 crore has been sanctioned for improving infrastructure facilities and setting up amenity centres as part of it.
Also, ₹4.20-crore Gandhi Smaraka Mandapam and tourist facilitation-cum-information centre will be set up on the premises of the Vettinad Oruttambalam temple.
The circuit
The Puthukunnu CSI Church, Chellamangalam Devi Temple, Avakkulam Sree Dharma Sastha Temple and Kusamattam Devi Temple form the pilgrim tourist circuit. As part of the project, Kerala Tourism will improve the infrastructure facilities at these places and set up amenity centres.
The Working Group on Tourism, at its recent meeting here, cleared the new circuit and the government has given administrative sanction for the project. The proposal for the tourist circuit was worked out by WAPCOS Ltd Kochi and the government has given three months’ time to execute the project.
Agreement
The government has asked the Director of Tourism to enter into an agreement with the custodians of these religious places to handover the buildings being constructed and their possession to Kerala Tourism for the use of the pilgrims. The government has made it clear that the buildings will be used by Kerala Tourism and will not be returned to those running the religious places.
The tourist facilitation centre-cum-information centre will be constructed by HLL Infratech Services on the premises of the Vettinad temple in Nedumanagad taluk. The Father of the Nation had visited the premises.
Based on the recommendation of the Working Group, the government has given the administrative sanction for the ₹4.20-crore facilitation and information centre. The work will be executed in 12 months.