Centre revives Sivagiri pilgrim circuit project

Thiruvananthapuram: The Centre has decided to restore Sree Narayana Guru pilgrimage circuit (Sivagiri pilgrim circuit) estimated worth Rs 69.47 crore under the ministry of tourism, which was cancelled in the wake of Covid-19 crisis.
After the state took up the matter with the Centre in the wake of widespread protests, the Centre on Monday informed the state that the pilgrimage tourism circuit will be restored. However, the Centre has not made any mention regarding reviving the project for improving basic infrastructure in 133 religious worship centres belonging to various religious groups in the reply to the state government.
Welcoming the Centre’s decision, tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran said the Centre had to reverse its earlier decision in the wake of widespread protests as well as pressure from the state government against the decision. He demanded that the implementation of the project should now be handed over to state tourism department. The decision was to hand over the implementation to India tourism development corporation (ITDC).
The minister also demanded that the Centre should also restore the project to improve basic infrastructure of 133 religious worship centres as well, a project worth Rs 85.22 crore.
The project under the pilgrimage circuit tourism, would cover the places where Sree Narayana Guru had spent, including his birthplace Chempazanthi, Aruvippuram, where he had built a temple with Lord Shiva as the deity, and Varkala where he had established the Sivagiri Mutt.
The foundation stone for the project was laid in February last year.
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala also welcomed the decision. “It is a victory of the people. There were many protests against the decision led by various organizations, inluding Sree Narayana movements and KPCC OBC cell,” Chennithala said here.